Sorry for the delay posting this month, but… ten months. I actually almost cried a little typing that. How is our lady almost a year old already?!

• We couldn’t have asked for sweeter starts and ends to our days. Bowie is a smiling chatterbox as soon as her eyes open in the morning. All those times greeting her “magandang umaga” (“good morning” in Tagalog) seem to have rubbed off as “magaga gogaga” are typically the first sounds she makes when she wakes up. And at night, getting her sillies out is our favorite part of her bedtime routine. She’ll put her head down and butt up as an invitation to help her tumble, or she’ll giggle over and over at just about any two-syllable phrase before snuggling down for a story and sleep.
• Half of our pictures of her are blurry now because she’s constantly on the move! She has places to crawl, furniture to climb, and she’s started standing long enough on her own to try taking a step or two. The best is seeing how excited and proud she is of every new achievement and discovery – her joy is completely infectious.
• She’s got a pretty charming mischievous streak, and clearly already understands that she’s not supposed to touch some things around the house. She specifically looks at us and smiles with an extra sparkle in her eye just before touching those things, which is possibly our fault for buying such a shiny trash can.
• We had our first “potty pause” this month, which is Elimination Communication terminology for a period when baby protests using the toilet or potty, opting to go in their diaper backup or clothes instead. After a bit of reading and patient observation, we decided to switch to training pants, undies, or Pull-Ups to offer Bowie a new way to be a more active participant in her bathroom process. I may have also started singing a song about being “a super duper pooper.” Both changes have been pretty helpful and exciting for her. I’m just grateful that we seem to be back to normal and that it was only a couple of days of pause. It was so disheartening, but it really did help me to reevaluate how we approach pottying in light of Bowie’s growing skill set!
• A few of Bowie’s current favorite things: The Nose Book, Where Are Maisy’s Friends, I am a Bunny, and Little Owl’s Night are books that make her smile really big when you read them to her. Blueberries, broccoli, raspberries, and mozzarella cheese are foods that disappear quickly when placed in front of her. “Raining Tacos” and “Nom Nom Nom” are songs that always make her laugh, not to mention our re-written Bowie-centric versions of Salt-N-Pepa’s “Push It” and Queen’s “We Will Rock You.”

This month we’re looking forward to Bowie’s first airplane rides to visit family in South Dakota. Wish us luck, and let us know if you have any tips for traveling with a busy and vocal baby!