10 months & I quit.

Two weeks ago Owen turned ten months old.

That makes him ten and a half months old,

in case you weren't sure about how those things work.

Weeks and stuff...they can be tricky.

Well it's hit me like a ton of bricks that he's about to be one.

ein Jahr alt.

That's German for 'one year old'. 

Because we're learning German. 

Jonny & I.

He's learning it for a Ph. D. that is on the horizon and I'm learning it for fun.

And in hopes of traveling and putting it to use one day.

Annnnyways. 

Can you tell my husband has been gone all day and I'm a little loopy?

Spending all day with a crazy, adorably crazy, 10 month old will do that to you.

But he's in bed now.

And I'm sitting here with a slice of whole foods pizza and gonna just spew some words out, k?

Owen's appetite has grown tremendously over the last month and a half.

In early January we went on a trip to see family in Missouri, Arkansas and Texas.

It was then that I started to notice his increased appetite.

I'm sure it has to do with the fact that he's moving a lot more.

Practically running from furniture piece to furniture piece.

He cannot be contained!

He's not walking solo yet.

But could if he got over the nerves.

I feel it too.

He is heavy. Packing on the pounds.

He's fluctuated between 95th-75th percentile most of his life.

(With the exception of his birth and first month where he was considerably above normal)

Some of his favorite foods:

blueberries

peas

cauliflower

green beans

mac&cheese

yogurt

oranges

meat of any kind

toast with coconut oil and cinnamon

He likes bananas but I only give them in moderation (constipation is an issue).

This kid can have fun.

all-day-non-stop-who-needs-to-nap?-kind-of-fun.

My absolute favorite thing is to watch Jonny and Owen play.

They are such boys.

Owen even laughs after tooting now.

He looks at you and raises his eyebrows like, "Did you hear that?"

But yes, they rough house, like boys do.

Sometimes more than I'd like, 

but I have to remember to chill out a bit.

And if you've made it this far and are still reading you'll get to know what I'm quitting.

Or going to try to quit.

Today, for what feels like the first time, I let Owen make messes 

and instead of following his trail of messes and

picking them up,

I got down on the floor and played with him.

A lot.

And we had fun.

Now I'm not saying I will always resist the urge to tidy up behind him.

But I am saying I'm going to try and be more intentional to stop.

There's a time and a place for cleaning up.

I think realizing he's almost a year old is making me relish the time I have with him.

I want to remember the way his face crinkles up 

and eyes sparkle with delight at the newness of a toy he hasn't seen in the last five minutes.

I want to remember the funny noises he makes.

The way he purses his lips to say "words"

The way he stretches out his arms and rotates his hands when he gets excited.

Things change so quickly.

And I want to see them happen.