Dear Sugarpie,

You are 10 months old today! Well, you were really 10 months old yesterday, but Mommy didn’t get to write this in time! You’ve been teething and that means you need Mommy to be with you pretty much every second, and you don’t like taking long naps either because that means you’re not with Mommy. But we’ll make it through! We’re a team, Sugarpie, and you’ll never have to go through the hard stuff alone.

Since your last birthday when we came home from Italy, you have become SO much more animated! And active. You are not shy about letting the world know what you want, and keep that up! The world needs more strong women 🙂 If I put you in your high chair without immediately putting food in front of you, you let me know exactly how much that stinks. If you want to nurse, you just reach right down in my bra and grab the goods. When we’re out in public and you want someone’s attention, you squeak at them! It’s adorable, and most people cannot resist that kind of charm.

Also, you’re crawling around pretty fast now and if you see something you want to put in your mouth like a shoe, or a microscopic piece of anything, or even a toy sometimes, you go right for it! We really have to keep our eyes on you!

Mommy and Daddy got sick a few weeks ago (you didn’t!) and there was a lot of coughing going on. You decided that coughing was cool and now that is also a preferred method of communication in Doodlebug parlance.

You are chatting up a storm these days. You have an entire arsenal of words and sounds, and you aren’t afraid to use them. On the 19th, you said bye bye to Nanna and Pawpaw on facetime! Clear as day, and in context! You also say meh meh meh a lot. Not sure what that means, could it be “milk?” You love saying baby, though I don’t think you really mean baby. There’s also a lot of very deliberate ba ba ba. It’s sounds like baa. baa. baa. Like that, with a period after every ba. You squeak and squeal and squawk all of the time too. You really like to do that when we’re in the car and Mommy’s trying to listen to Fresh Air.

I’ve been teaching you just a few signs too. We’ve been working on milk for a few months and the other day you reached for me and made the sign! I nursed you right away.

Verena came to visit and record some songs with Daddy. You are fascinated by her! She loves you too 🙂

We mentioned last month that you pulled up for the first time. When we were in La Jolla last week at Grandma’s, you just couldn’t resist her fancy glass table. You pulled up on it again and again and again until you wore yourself out! Now anything that looks sturdy is fair game to get you on your feet. You even took a few steps while holding on the table with Grandma!

Speaking of California, just when you were getting back into Texas time after having been in Italy, we dragged you to San Diego for another time change. You got to spend a lot of time with Daddy’s mommy (Grandma) and you even saw your cousins and aunts and uncles. We spent a lot of time with Romy and her mommy and daddy too (they’re our good friends). You love eating at their restaurant (Jayne’s Gastropub) and you even liked eating Romy’s food after you were done with yours!

We ate at Bahia (our fave Mexican place in California, where we even had our rehearsal dinner!) and you and Romy tore up the beans and rice. You even had your first quesadilla and didn’t mind a little spicy green salsa on it! Yum.

Your new favorite fruit is strawberries, you hold them like little apples and bite around. Sometimes you stuff it whole into your mouth (giving Mommy a heart attack), but you smush it up, take a part of it out, and eat it that way. I guess you have your methods and I should trust you!

Nanna and Pawpaw came from Orange to spend a few days with you too. You miss them! Pawpaw is so silly and fun and Nanna is the sweetest ever.

Sugarpie, something happened a few days ago that I will always remember. You woke up early from your nap and were crying. I came in the room and picked you up. You lay your head on my shoulder. I went over to the mirror to see if you were sleeping and instead, you had the biggest smile on your face! I could see all 7 and 1/4 of your teeth. I could not believe that you were so happy just to be in my arms! It was the sweetest thing I’ve ever seen and my heart grew bigger right then and there.

The most wonderful thing about you is how happy you are! You smile so easily. Your happiness is like radiating crystalline sunshine and it fills me with the deepest satisfaction. I cannot get enough of you. I simply cannot.

Every time Daddy walks in the room, you squeal in delight with the accompanying flailing arms and kicking feet. You do the same for Mommy. We love you so much!

I can’t believe you are 10 months old already! Time really does fly. Our life with you is better than I ever imagined it would be. I am so glad that you’re my Georgia Ann.

I love you forever and ever,

xoxo Mommy