Ten Months Old?!

I know! Ten months old?! How in the world did ten months go by so quickly? How has my teensy-tiny, new-born baby boy turned into this rambunctious, expressive, oh-so-huggable little man? In the blink of an eye, it seems.

Month Nine brought big boy pajamas - we couldn't find any 12 month sized pjs with feet.

It also brought baths in the big tub - this is a tricky business, but he loves bathtime.

Kaden's newfound sense of freedom has gotten him into some sticky situations. The above photos demonstrate one of them - he has figured out how to crawl underneath the bed, but can't figure out how to duck his head to get back out. Clearly, he does not like being stuck.

He still LOVES the swings!

More teeth must be on their way. Everything, and I mean everything, goes directly into his mouth. This has made us a bit neurotic about what we keep within his reach. Babyproof has taken on a whole new meaning around here - hide your shoes, they are one of his favorite chew toys. We're not sure if we are raising a little boy or a puppy.

His chew toys are not limited to things he can actually fit in his mouth - the below photo is evidence of what happens if we leave him in his crib too long while he is awake. Little chipmunk.

The San Diego County Fair came to town and we were there to enjoy all the fried goodies, though we drew the line at fried butter and chocolate dipped bacon. While Kaden didn't indulge, he did have a great time seeing all the animals at the petting zoo. Due to the threat of hoof and mouth disease, they insisted that all children wear shoes. Kaden, however, being the California boy that he is, rarely wears socks...much less shoes. So, we improvised; we wrapped his legs up in my jacket and braved the animal pen. And look at the smiles we got for our ingenuity!!

This month Kaden learned to stand up and, now, he is climbing on everything. As soon as we got back from Kentucky we moved his crib down a level; before every nap he would climb up on his knees to make sure he could still reach the rail and peer out. It didn't take too long before he learned how to get his feet underneath him and pull himself up to stand. He wasn't quite as quick to learn how to get back down so, more than a few times, he would fall asleep standing up and we would have to go in and lay him down.

When he is not in his crib, he finds turns anything he can into his own little jungle gym. Having no fear, and no idea that he is not quite stable enough to stand on his own, he usually lets go of whatever it was he was holding on to and promptly falls down. At first, he couldn't seem to figure out why that happened. He is getting steadier and steadier though, and can now stand holding on with just one hand. Of course, he likes to climb on everything he is not supposed to touch...the floor lamp, the tall candlesticks, the fireplace, etc. Sometimes, he is a great listener and, when I say "no no Kaden" he finds something else to play with. 80% of the time, however, he turns to give me an impish grin and then keeps right on playing with exactly what I've asked him not to touch. I guess he doesn't like being told no. Like mother, like son.

And, my very favorite new trick of Kaden's...his kisses.

As an early birthday gift from Gammi and Pop, Kaden got a toy lion that is both a walker and a ride on toy. Even though it may cause Kevin and I to require back surgery, he loves riding around the house on it.

And, last but not least, Month Nine brought Kaden's first (assisted) steps!!!!