A mile in my shoes...: My so big, little girl

10 1/2 months. This little girl of mine is learning so many new things everyday its hard to keep up. She can stand by herself for a few seconds if you trick her into doing it. She can identify several of her toys and go get them when you ask her to, like Ball (she is very, very good at catching and returning a ball to us), Happy Hippo, and Cookie Monster (hand puppet). Her sleep habits are finally back to pre-sickness routines, which means waking up once in the night for a bottle then back to sleep till about 6. She mimics sounds very well and we think she is saying "up" and she might be saying the "I see" you part of peek a boo. She can do the "more" sign in sign language when we ask her too but doesn't do it on her own for more food yet. She cries sometimes when someone she likes leaves the room. She does very well when I leave her in the nursery at church to attend a once a month mom's group that meets there. She doesn't like it when someone else has possession of her favorite toy "Happy Hippo" and will wrestle it away from you. She is walking along furniture like a pro and falling down and bumping her head on a regular basis. She doesn't like loud sounds like running the mixer or the blender and will cling to my legs till I stop. She has leaned to open drawers and cabinets and regularly takes out cooking utensils and throws them around the kitchen. The doors have child locks on them now but not the drawers :( She is learning to give hugs and we are trying to teach her to give kisses. She loves bath time and nearly dives in head first while the tub is filling.

All these things make me realize that she is getting so big and she will be a toddler before I know it. But then at other times, she is still so much like a baby. When she gets hurt she just wants to be held. When she is teething, she just wants to cuddle with me. When I give her her nighttime bottle she just falls back asleep on my shoulder as I rock with her.

Several friends have had babies recently and I'm holding these little 8 pound things that barely wake up or move much and I really just can't remember Ellie being that small or that content. I have horror stories about how much my angel cried during those first 6 weeks and how little she would sleep. But I don't remember her being tiny and content. Granted she was born at 9 pounds but lost a pound in the hospital and didn't get back to 9 for a couple of weeks if I remember correctly. Even after all that, we still hope and pray that someday God blesses us with another little miracle to add to our family.

Here are some recent pictures from our holiday festivities.