9 - 10 months (5/5/06 - 6/5/06)

What a month! Tons to report... so behind. I'll inevitably forget something, but here's what I just noted in Harper's baby book about the month.

Harper's scoots turned into crawling at the beginning of the month. She'd do a kind of "downward dog" and shuffle on her knees a bit. Her crawl is cute-- she's up on her hands and right knee, but often pushes with her left foot. She can crawl anywhere and pull herself up to stand, even when asked. She likes to stand up as I fill her bath and she is enjoying bath time more now that she has learned the word 'splash'. Harper also went "swimming" for the first time on Mother's Day. She had a great time splashing Mama. Her favorite toy this month (besides books, which remain supreme) is her Leap Frog Learning Table, which makes lots of musical sounds and plays songs. She likes to stand up and lean against it while making lots of fun sounds with it. (Her favorite is the spinner that sings the ABC's and other whole songs.) She never tires of peekaboo, hiding in the curtains, ducking her head below her own arm, or coming out from around the couch. She will often initiate the game, and once I start narrating, she excitedly continues. It is clear Harper really loves interacting and communicating. That is her motivation for almost everything she does! A recent game we worked out was "roll to Harper, give to Mama", which we play with any round object. She 'got it' instantly! It really amazes me how quickly she excels when challenged. One afternoon, while nursing, I used her finger to explain where my chin and forehead are. Since then, she can point them out when asked. ('Don't know if I've already posted it here, but she could already point out my nose, mouth, eyes, ears, and eyebrow.) Because she is such a sponge, I am constantly narrating our actions and it seems she really understands most everything! Harper also started giving kisses this month. She gives open-mouthed kisses to people occasionally, but gives kisses often to her own reflection. Harper still eats mostly breastmilk, but also consumed significant amounts of cottage cheese, bread, and puffs/wheels as supplements. Our family went on a trip to Catalina Island and Harper traveled very well this time. None of the sleep problems that she had traveling when she was 4 1/2 months old. She had a lot of fun with her cousins, who adore her. Harper also has a new smile that showed up this month, closed mouth with lips slightly puckered. I continue to marvel at her range of expression, how subtle she can be, and how perceptive. She is a gentle and sensitive girl, who loves to give hugs and express her love. We feel lucky she is ours!