Holy cow - 10 months old!

Charlie Jo turns 10 months old today. This past month it has been amazing to watch her development explode. She can climb up stairs and has even learned to go backwards down them on her tummy. She can walk behind her little dune buggy and can crawl as fast as a gazelle. She's eating three solid food meals a day (but sill nursing once between each meal, plus first thing in the morning and before she goes to bed).

Charlie continues to sleep like a champ - between 10 1/2 and 11 1/2 hours a night. She usually takes less than a minute to cry herself to sleep and most nights she doesn't wake up again until morning. Her favorite things are Gerber Lil' Crunchies (finger foods), shaking maracas, the dogs, and bath time. She's getting so much more independent and doesn't cry in her carseat nearly as much as she used to.

She is much more predictable in terms of napping (probably because I finally forced a schedule upon her). We usually nap together (yes, I know this is frowned upon, but she sleeps alone in her bed all night, every night!) once in the morning for about a half an hour and in the afternoon for about an hour or hour and a half. I know I won't be able to give our second child nearly as much one-on-one attention, but does that mean I shouldn't give it to Charlie?

Charlie can open drawers and cabinets, eats ANYTHING she finds on the floor, is physically incapable of staying out of the dog's water bowl, has an unhealthy obsession with the fireplace, and tends to pull other babies' hair. Otherwise, she's a pretty darn good baby. Luckily, close proximity to two large dogs has completely eradicated any fear of dogs she might have, so she loves to meet new ones.

On Monday, we start a music class with our friends Joslyne and Zoey. Here's hoping she develops a love of music like her mom and dad have!