Too Cute at Ten Months

In catching up with this blog I realize that I neglected to post something about William at 10 months. I thought oh well, we've got every other month covered, and I'll remember what he was like then. But you know what I don't. When I was pregnant and other mothers would tell me they couldn't remember a certain age or stage, I thought they were nuts; how could you forget something about your beautiful baby? But you do. Babies are so into the here and now that I at least tend to live there with them. And while overall I think that has been a very healthy thing for me, it does mean that the details of past stages tend to slip. And so with the help of notes, pictures and my rusty memory, here is our boy at 10 months:

Too cute eh? The highlight of our month was to travel together to England, a place that I love and would happily return to again and again. Greg had a conference in Chester, so William and I tagged along. Chester was lovely. William and I toured the Cathedral (were the photo above was taken) and walked the length of their Medieval wall, still intact after hundreds of years of siege and modernization! We also took a day trip over to Liverpool to see the Beatles Museum which was great fun, and William took his first ferry ride over the Liffey River. We got a little lost on the way home but William was able to take it all in stride now that he is maturing and has developed a fondness for Cheerios!

After Chester, Greg took some holiday time and we drove up North to meet our English family. They hail from North Hartlepool, which we had heard was quite industrial but we found to be quite pretty. Cousins Sam and Audrey were our gracious hosts, and while staying with them William learned to climb stairs! Not something he has a chance to do at home in the apartment. He also got to play with Sam and Audrey's grandchildren, a great treat.We also met William's great, great, great Uncle Charlie, and Grandma Moore's dear friend Lil. They were both, of course, quite taken with William!

After real English fish and chip at Seton Carew and a mandatory trip to Tesco's we were off again, this time to Edinburgh. I had visited there briefly while pregnant with William and longed to go back for the beautiful architecture and the shopping. But, shopping and touring with baby is a heck of alot different than doing it with a girlfriend. After one harrowing afternoon of William howling through the shops (but charming the shop girls) Greg took pity on me and gave me a free afternoon to look around. Debenham's, Monsoon, John Lewis, oh my!! Needless to say I loved it and stocked up on cashmere socks for the folks back home.

After Edinburgh we turned back south to visit the Lake District. On the way we tracked down the famous Sycamore Gap at Hadrian's Wall but in the end only Greg hiked out to see it as extremely hilly with gale force winds. Still, what a thrill to see something that has existed since AD 122!

The Lake District was so, so beautiful, probably the prettiest place I have seen in England (but all the English countryside is gorgeous so hard to say). It rained a lot, but this did not deter me from visiting Beatrix Potter's home and Gallery (where I saw many of her original paintings including the frisky Squirrel Nutkin). What an inspiration her life is to me, as she was able to live and work in the same place, spending a great deal of time outdoors in the process. To wake up each day, do a little writing or painting, then care for your garden and animals.....it seems idyllic and very appealing. Anyhow, as a family we took a lovely little hike on the fells (hills) and caught some spectacular views when the clouds cleared.

Once we got home, we decided it was time for William to have his own room. When sharing our room, we could never talk above a whisper, nor watch a loud movie with William sleeping just past the divider; plus he would waken every night when we were going to bed. I was a bit sad to move my baby from my bedside where I could hear him breathe and turn, but in the end it really was for the best. He goes off to sleep very well with a feeding and a few stories and his beloved DouDou beside him.

William celebrated having his own room by cutting is first tooth, and with it, preferring grown up food to baby mush! He is also gabbling a lot more: "Dididah! Dada! Mama! Didoodoo!" often accompanied by pointing and vigourous head noddin. Too cute. He 'quatre pattes' at a mile a minute, but is also pulling himself up on every available surface. Won't be long until he walks!

Here he is wishing everyone a Happy Thanksgiving!