Tuesday, December 7, 2010

Joshua Watch: Ten Months

You know how I've been saying the last few months that I really can't guarantee another good tiger comparison shot, with Joshua placidly lying on his back next to his tiger?  Well, folks, I'm afraid that day has finally come... Joshua is a man on the move, and there's no way he's going to just lie back like a baby for a silly old photo.  Not even if he's distracted by a book, or by the tiger itself...  Here's the very best photo I got of him next to his tiger this month:


I managed to buy myself about three seconds of quiet time by giving him that book.  But it wasn't long enough for me to jump up on the bed (which I have to do these days in order to get him fully in the frame)... Seriously.  He's a man on the move.

Just for kicks, here are some of the other outtakes from this month's attempt at a tiger growth comparison photo...






Sigh.  It's a good thing he's so incredibly cute...  :)  I think for the next kid, we're going to have to start our comparison photos with him or her propped up in a chair -- clearly, lying back is just for babies!

This month has been one of steady incremental development -- no big "firsts," per se, but tons and tons of growth and skill-building!  Joshua is a speed demon at crawling now, and is incredibly agile in doing so -- he loves crawling around and through our dining table and chairs.  It's like he purposely sets interesting and challenging goals for himself, and the smaller the space, the more he loves figuring out a way to crawl under and through it!  He's also getting much faster and more sure of himself in cruising around our furniture.  He loves walking the length of our sectional couch, rotating between holding onto the couch and holding onto the coffee table -- especially if there are coasters or napkins on the table within his reach.  And very little is outside of his reach these days!

Joshua has also grown in playing independently.  He very much prefers being near us -- if I'm at the computer, he loves playing under the computer desk (though we've had some luck in teaching him not to reach for wires or the trash can).  If David's at his laptop on the dining table, Joshua is right under the table, or at the bookcases just next to David's chair.  If either of us is sitting on the couch, he'll plop himself down next to the coffee table and occasionally pull himself up to pat our legs with glee.  But in doing all of this, he's been learning to entertain himself.  Give him a coaster, or better yet, a magazine that he can rip up, and he'll play happily by himself for several minutes at a time.

Which makes the times we're actively engaging with him even sweeter.  :)  He's learned the basics of being chased this month, and he will shriek with glee if I start crawling around after him.  I think he gets a kick out of seeing us behave like he does -- he'll laugh so hard when we crawl with him, or bang coasters like he does, or shake his rattles.  It's so adorable!

He's also saying "mama" more consistently these days, and introducing so many new consonants in his steady stream of babbling.  I think he may have learned the word "bonk," which I usually say when he sits himself down from a cruising/standing escapade.  And lately he's been saying something that sounds like "wow" when he plays with his toys.  It's mostly still just babbling, but it's incredibly cute!

And speaking of cute...  :)  More Joshua photos, from his 10-month "photo shoot"!


Our rosy-cheeked wee lad with a favorite book
 

Getting into trouble... On tiptoes to reach the books, and checking to see if I'm watching as he reaches for the outlets and the diaper pail
 

The beginnings of a cheesy camera face?
 

Ahh, here are some real smiles!

Happy ten-month birthday, sweetheart!  You bring us SO much joy!

1 comment:

Glinda said...

MAN, I miss those monthly photo shoots for size comparisons. I propped Piper up, one of my favorites of her as a newborn has Owen holding her head up because it kept flopping to the side. It's difficult no matter how you position them, but after 9 months it all went downhill 'cause although Piper didn't crawl until 10.5 months, she started reaching for the paper that I propped with her age on it and I got one set of her just tearing the paper to bits, one with it in her mouth. SO, I think yours is STILL more of a success than mine. Only 2 more to go, WOW!! =( Growing up too fast.