River Flynn,

It’s been ten months with you and I’m just not cool with any more time passing. I wasn’t ready for a second baby when I found out you were coming. I was terrified. Now I realize that I take back every single feeling I had except one……

I’m not done being the Mommy of a baby. I needed to separate you and Shep so that I could postpone this moment. So….if you ever get angry that you’re the middle child one day, it’s because you just had to be the fastest swimmer….so beat yourself up about it bc it’s out of my hands.

So, back to the matter at hand. Ten months. 3.5 teeth (well, maybe 3 total bc one top one is just barely out while the other is breaking the surface – side note: why are teeth such a milestone/important thing for mom’s to document thing? Strange). You are FAST! Like, supersonic I’m going to crawl from point A to point Z in 4 seconds or less kind of fast. You are the giggliest, splashiest, neediest little nugget alive. You are most definitely still my easy baby, but that personality is popping through and you are 100% your own person. Some days you want up, down, sideways, and backwards and you still fuss while others I could plop you in a raft in the ocean and you’d make the best of it. I won’t, cross my heart…..

You love food. You eat your veggies and the good stuff, but goodness alive any taste you get of the finer things in life (aka type 2 diabetes triggers) you go to town. You still aren’t a milk kid, but you’ll chug it and get things done when need be. Waking once a night still – I’ve given up on this one, and you think that car rides are less exciting that you used to. Dragging you around with me shopping for hours isn’t exactly going to be our thing like I’d hoped. Sheppard is still your favorite. You laugh at him constantly, but unfortunately he has discovered that you can be a bit of a burden on his toy hoarding and that hurts your feelings sometimes. Deep down he really is concerned with you and wants you to be happy, so the brotherly love thing still reigns…just a bit faded by his love for his trains. I swear you are seconds away from pulling up to stand, so until I get a grip on things I might be pushing you back down in an ever so gently way. You go to sleep at 7 like a champ (still in your starfish sack….darn those things) and wake around 6:30 for a little solo Mommy time. Kipper. One word. You love him. He makes you smile the biggest smile ever and sets you into a trance which is beneficial for me when I need to walk away for a moment of so without worrying that you’ll crawl to the nearest power source (another favorite past time of yours these days). Peek a boo, singing songs, and your daddy all make you laugh uncontrollably. Bonus points if Shep is involved. You’re growing like a weed (19 pounds the other day with clothes on) and wearing a size 3 diaper (size 4 at night – not to make you feel huge but your bother sleeps in size 4. I’m just gonna leave that there). You are still obsessed with all things carbs and can’t get enough of the spaghetti dinner I let you taste for the first time this month. You splash so much in the tub that you get your brother and me drenched from head to toe and you two officially fight, like legitimate fights over the water sprayer. Aspyn’s water bowl and the Roomba are your current must haves and you are killing it in the hair department. Kiddo, that bald head now has maybe 45 microscopic hairs (most seen at the base of your neck) and well, it’s just the cutest thing I’ve ever seen. Still no specific lovie attachment but heaven forbid you be asked to sleep without 4 surrounding your face. Cracks us up so much to see you smother them with smooches. Oh! smooches! You LOVE to kiss the giraffe in Shep’s room. That probably was a technical 9 month update, but goodness gracious if it isn’t the cutest thing you’ve ever seen. Open mouthed and full of spit. He’s a little crusty these days if I were completely honest.

I guess next month I’ll be planning a first birthday and crying my eyes out. Do me a favor….no more teeth, no more hair, don’t stop loving all things baby, and maybe just “mama” for the speech side of things. I swear I’ll get over this and let you grow up, but I need more time. Or medication.

Xx Mommy