Charlotte At 10 Months

Charlotte Morgan Chambers At 10 Months Old

* Nick Name: Charlotte Bunny

* Eye Color: Grayish Hazel

* Words She Can Say: Really Da-Da is the only real thing she says and although she has been saying that for a few months it’s becoming less and less indiscriminate. She does say Ma-Ma on occasion but generally refers to Wayne or Erin as Da-Da. If you sing Row, Row, Row Your Boat to her and pause most of the time she will sing Row, Row, Row back to you! It’s really neat!

* Favorite Song: She likes any kind of music and shakes her head to “dance”; now we sometimes get a bum shake too! With all of her new music toys she is in seventh heaven and tries to get them all going at once. She loves for anyone to sing to her, especially Grandma who knows a lot of neat songs.

* Favorite Game: “I’m Gonna Get You” which is our version of warning her that the tickle fest is about to begin. She also likes to be the one to “get you” so with help from one of us we say “Charlotte let’s get Daddy” and she gets a big smile and holds her hands out.

* Firsts This Month: Pulling up on things and then letting go for a few seconds before she either grabs a hold again or falls down. Even though she cannot walk yet, she is climbing all over everything especially if it means she can get her hands on a remote of flip flops. She is also (maybe it’s actually been going on for awhile) feeding herself cheerios, yogurt melts, mum mum crackers and puffs. Charlotte has started to make this scrunched up face, with her lips pursed that is really so sour its funny. We can’t figure out what it’s about because she seems to do it all the time – happy or sad. She has also started throwing her hands out when she “talks” like she is gesturing for emphasis. Kinda seems like she is lecturing us (especially when she points her finger).

* Smiles When: You tickle her, she is happy, or on the spot if she sees Mommy, Daddy, Nanny or Grandma.

* Health: Unfortunately, Charlotte has been sick for the last week or so with two ear infections, a cold and what we think was Roseola – all over Christmas! Poor little thing. She is on antibiotics so the whole things should be clearing up for her follow up doctor’s appointment next week. Thanks to the unplanned diagnostic doctors visit we know that she weighs exactly twenty pounds.

* Favorite Activity: Still eating expensive electronics, paper, Wayne’s glasses, and flip flops. She also likes to play with her toys especially the ones that make noise.

* Size Clothing: Charlotte is just moving into the eighteen month size clothes. As per usual with Charlotte we find that the torso length is a better fit in the next size up but the waist is still too small. We spend a lot of time pulling or rolling up the waist in her pants.

* Sleep Schedule: We can tell that Charlotte is in a transitional stage or is it teething? Either way she changes her “schedule” for naps everyday…luckily the overnights are still solid. She is starting to stay up a little later but stays asleep once we put her down. Luckily she wakes up happy – rarely cries right off – and will play in her crib for at least an hour before she decides it’s time to get out of her wet diaper!

* Doesn’t Like: To be “stuck” anywhere that keeps her from exploring. We continue to see more signs of her getting upset when you take a toy away from her or don’t let her go somewhere she wants to be – aka block her from trying to eat our shoes. What DOES she see in flip flops? She starts to whine and will flap her arms – the funny thing is that she doesn’t do this right away. After about the fifth time of taking something away, telling her not or blocking her attempts to escape THEN she gets upset. She is a very determined little girl…wonder who she gets that from!

* Cries When: She is tired, hungry, wants her ducky, or wants whatever you don’t want her to have.

* Must Have Travel Item: Duck lovie blanket

* Eating: Mostly stage three baby foods. She is up to three “solid food” meals a day (usually one and a half jars each meal). She also eats quite a lot of table food that we either mash or run through the Cuisinart. We have tried finger foods too like corn and beans which she likes. However the fruit finger foods are still too slimy and she just throws her hands up and gives you this look like you are trying to poison her. It’s so funny. Charlotte is starting to lose interest in her formula, down to about three eight ounce bottles each day, which we have to encourage her to eat. At least she has mastered holding her bottle and feeding herself! However, if you just give it to her and walk away she will get distracted and “forget” to finish eating.