10 months

I absolutely can not believe my little boy is already 10 months old! This has been a BIG month so far. Benjamin is crawling all over the place and has turned into a little climbing monkey. He scrambles up the steps and about gives me a heart attack each time. His new pastime is stopping on each step and bouncing....something that is definitely going to backfire pretty soon. Since becoming mobile Benjamin has started communicating a lot more and is experimenting with various sounds. I'm happy to report that he recently started associating the word "mama" with me! He says it when he wakes from naps, and also when he sees me across the room.

He also started feeding himself about a week ago. Before he figured out how to self-feed I would throw Cheerios on his tray periodically just to test the waters. One afternoon he looked at his tray, picked up a Cheerio, inspected it for a while, and then put it in his mouth! I was so excited and clapped for him. He looked at me as if to say, "Um, you're crazy mom. I do this all the time." Since then mealtime has been a lot easier since I'm able to give him a few Cheerios or puffed wheat cereal while I'm making his food. It has really cut down on his fussiness, since the boy LOVES to eat. Right now his favorite new foods are apple and cinnamon rice cakes, scrambled egg yolks, cinnamon raisin toast with cream cheese, waffles, cheese, anything with tomato sauce, and pizza crust! I hate to admit this, but normally I am the one who ends Benjamin's mealtimes since he will continue eating anything and everything until I call a halt to it. A few evenings back I decided to continue feeding him until he turned his head away and this is the list of foods he ate in one sitting:

1 1/2 cups of Baby's Bolognese sauce (alphabet pasta, tomato sauce, ground beef, carrots, cheese)

1/2 cup applesauce

2 slices cinnamon raisin bread with cream cheese

2 wedges Laughing Cow swiss cheese

Do you see why I'm the one who decides to end mealtimes? Is it just me, or does that sound like a lot of food for a baby? Keep in mind he is still nursing about 4-5 times a day, and eats 2 other meals plus snacks. I don't want you all to think I cut him off from food even while he's desperately hungry because I don't. I just quit when he stops making his little "mmm, mmm" sounds after every bite. 

In other big Benjamin news......he is FINALLY sleeping through the night! (Well, sort of.) That's right, after only 10! looooooong sleepless months Benjamin is kinda sorta sleeping in stretches longer than 5 hours. Last night he woke at midnight (teething, grrr) but easily resettled, and didn't wake again until 6:30. A few nights ago he slept from 7-5:30 and I was happy. It's not consistent, but it's happening. He's going through particularly bad bout of teething right now so that's making things worse, but I can finally see the light.

And now the pictures:

Helping Joel fix the drawer he (Benjamin) broke. Isn't it amazing how you think items are indestructible until children touch them?

New soccer ball from Mimi and Poppy!

Isn't his hair getting long?

Sneaky stair-climbing monkey

Cutie pie!

In other Campbell news: the porch tile is finished and looks AWESOME, we've made a list of various home projects that will be completed this Spring, and we're ready for beach weather and Spring/Summer visitors! Come see us!