Lauren at 10 months

These days, Lauren especially loves exploring her world. She crawls all around, looking for the bath tub, her brother's shoes and, of course, Mama. Crawling is extra fun when she can do so with a toy in hand--e.g., a Duplo block, a wooden hammer, a DoodlePro pen (dragging said sketch toy behind her). She likes the many, many toys and balls in our home but is just as fascinated by a piece of tape she finds stuck to the carpet. She also thinks helicopter seeds that get tracked in the house are tasty . . . until she puts them in her mouth. She likes sharing her toys with you and will giggle as you take the toy she offers. But you must give it right back, or she will cry and squawk and gnash her two very visible (but not easily photographed) teeth. Between her strong attachment to whatever she is holding in her hand and Evan's firm sense of entitlement to any toy in the house, we've had some sister-brother misunderstandings.



As much Lauren enjoys being on the move, she also loves to snuggle.



She loves taking in the world perched on my hip. Or sitting on a lap, especially if you're wearing interesting things like necklaces and glasses.



Of course, this has been an extra snuggly month for Lauren in part because she's spent a good deal of it under the weather. In late March, she had a bad cold that threw her for a loop for a several days and then while we were in Kentucky, she ran a fever for three days and was pretty pitiful. But really all she needed was one thing: to be held. Whenever Matt, Grandma or me would pick her up, she'd snuggle up to our chests and suck on her thumb, occasionally dozing off. She was even sweet enough to let Matt and me go out to a movie one afternoon when she was still sick. I left her hoping she'd nap for most of the time we were away. She napped only briefly in her bed but spent the rest of the afternoon sleeping and resting in Grandma's arms while Nana played with the boys. We all wished Lauren was feeling better, but the snuggle time was so sweet--especially for Grandma.

It seems Lauren has particularly taken to her thumb lately. She's been sucking her thumb to go to sleep for several months but now she's apt to have it in her mouth any time of day. I wonder if it has to do with her teething, which otherwise doesn't seem to bother her much. Neither of her brothers--apart from a two-month stint by Evan--sucked their thumbs, so it's novel for me. And adorable. Also, she's generally a better self-soother than her brothers, so it's helpful too.



Another highlight of Lauren's tenth month was wearing her first Easter dress. (Thank you, Mimi!) She hardly noticed the dress, except when I was getting her dressed, which is a bit unpleasant for her these days no matter what clothes I'm trying to put on. But once we were through that ordeal, she carried on as usual. She did think her shoes were fun; although she'd just as soon take them off and crawl around with them in hand or chew on them. In any case, this dress was the highlight of my month. And dare I say, her daddy's.



Perhaps a truer high point for Lauren was getting in the bath tub with both her brothers. Over vacation last week, we worked out a little routine where we put all the kids in the tub and then I bathed Lauren first, pulled her out and left Matt to wash the boys. Thus far the boys have been remarkably gentle in their bath play with her. Once she leaves, it's back to the usual rambunctious, splashy play.



Tonight as Lauren happily rode in the stroller on our post-supper walk, watching her brothers "race," jump and laugh, and later, as she sat between the two of them playing in the tub, I was struck by how sweet our life is--and sweeter still with her in it.