Santi's 10 month letter

1/15/11

Dear Santiago:

You are now ten months old! 2 more months and we’ll be celebrating your one year birthday!

You are getting quite the personality. Mommy says that she can see herself in you, especially when you’re stubborn and make your mind up about what you want to do!

You crawl on your knees almost all the time now! When I come home and you’re in the living room, you crawl right over to me!

You also love to walk while someone holds your hands. And you chase the cats all around the house now too, which I think they enjoy a little less than you do! In addition to walking, you’ll kick a ball if we put it in front of you. We got a soccer ball and you’ll kick it around if we walk you over to it.

You love music. You’ve been pulling up on things and you’ll start grooving and moving your bum when the music is on. Sometimes you’ll shake your arm too. We think you got some of Daddy’s moves. 


Here are some of the things you’re doing this month:

• Crawling on your knees

• Walking while people hold your hands. Kicking balls and running as you chase the cats through the house

• Saying 5 words – Mama, Dada, Mum Mum (for your Mum Mum crackers), Agua (for water) and Cheese (for cheese – which comes out more like “Sheese”)

• Standing more steadily

• Loving to laugh and to have books read to you

•Loving to dance and move to music

• Wearing size 4 diapers during the day and size 5 nighttime diapers at night

• Wearing size 12 month and some 12-18 month pants, 6-12 month shirts, 12 month onesies

• Wearing size 3-4 shoes

• Wearing size 6-12 month hats

• Eating about 4-6 oz per feeding in four bottles a day
• Eating all table food. No more purees, other than applesauce or pear and applesauce. Some of your favorite foods are: applesauce, pears, tomatoes, bananas, turkey, chicken, cucumbers, Cheerios and cereal bars.


Mommy is excited because she will be a full time stay at home mom with you as of the end of this month. She can’t wait to be there to witness all of your learning and changing and also head back to Stroller Strides to work out and have some play dates on a regular basis with some of Mommy’s friends and their babies!

We love you very, very much!

Love,
Mommy and Daddy

Dancing and dining

I can't believe that my little guy is 10 months old! He loves music and lately we've been putting it on for him throughout the day. Last night we were dancing (that video is uploading) and then it was time for dinner. Didn't want to turn off the music, so I left it on, and we had some dancing in our seats!

Dancing and dining from Kate Davila on Vimeo.

Santi "dancing" to some Sesame Street songs (and yes, I know all about "no tv before they're 2 years old." However, it's music, we had it on for about 15 mins, and he loves it. I don't think it did any permanent damage, and I was there interacting with him the whole time, not using the tv as a babysitter.)

Watching some music videos from Kate Davila on Vimeo.

And this is Santi being 100% boy - pulling up to the couch and basically free-falling onto the floor. This boy has no fear.

Santi pulling up from Kate Davila on Vimeo.

I can't believe it but we have a 10 month old as of today! Hard to believe but 10 months ago, I had just welcomed our little boy to the world and he was now in the NICU, trying to have his bacterial infection diagnosed. He spent two very long weeks in the NICU and then finally came home to us. He hasn't ceased to amaze us every moment that he's been home.

I owe a photo and a proper update but as of now:

• He has 8 teeth, 4 on the bottom and 4 on the top
• He's practicing his walking and prefers to have someone hold his hands and walk him all the time
• He's still army crawling although occasionally will do a crawl on his knees
• He has three words! He says "Mum Mum" for his favorite rice husk crackers, he says "Ma Ma" for me and "Da Da" for Tito
• He loves chasing the cats around the house be it crawling, walking with help or in his walker toy
• He's very opinionated and has my stubborn streak. If he doesn't want a particular food he will let you know.
  
• He can consistently sign "more" and "milk" and is almost there with "all done" and when he wants food, he will open and close his mouth like a fish. :)

We love him so much and it grows every day. He's an amazing, fun, crazy, goofy, loving, caring, gentle, kind, sweet, happy, serious, thoughtful little boy.

I spent part of today picking out paper and decorations for his 1st birthday party. I can't believe it's almost been a year. Amazing.

New job

So as of January 28th, I'll be leaving my current role as a Communications focal for Boeing and entering a new position.

I've heard things about my new boss. Some say he has "little man" syndrome and because of that is very demanding. I've heard I'll have to make all of his meals, and even hand feed him! I've heard he doesn't change his own clothes, or his diapers! I've also heard I'll have to make and give him his bottles, play with him, entertain him and carry him around.

But, he's really, really cute. And I love him. So I guess it's all worth it. :)

For those of you who don't understand my cryptic message, as of January 29th, I'll begin my new role as a full time stay at home mom to Santi. I'm very blessed to have this opportunity and am looking forward to the challenges and fun that come with this new "position." The plan is to try it out for now, and if I miss work, I'll go back and Santi will go to daycare. But, if I like it, I'll probably be home until he goes to school.

And really, how could you not love a job with this guy as a boss?

And here's another photo showing how I'll be working with him -
he even makes me carry him around! :) This is us in Peru on top of a huaca in Lima.

So stay tuned - and more photos to come of our Peru trip soon!

A little late but...Santi's 9 month letter

12/15/10

Dear Santiago:

You are now nine months old! You have now officially been out of my belly for as long as you were in it!

You’re crawling all over the place! You’ve started to crawl on your knees but only for a few seconds. You’ll get it though, and we won’t know what to do with you when you’re moving so quickly!

You made your first international flight for our trip to Peru! You did great on the flight and slept really well, even though the crew kept turning the lights on and you had a diaper blow out in the middle of some bad turbulence!

You play peekaboo and get the concept of the game. You’ll play on your own and start laughing when you’re staring at us even if we’re not looking at you. You also love to play “Where’s Santi?” where Mommy looks for you even if you’re right there. When she “finds” you, you always let out a big laugh!

You have 8 teeth now. The top two are coming in more and more even though you have a big gap between them! So you have four teeth on the top and four teeth on the bottom.

You’ve gotten quite the stubborn personality too – we wonder where you get that from? When you don’t like something, you definitely let us know. You’re starting to express yourself more although you don’t have the words for it all, so you tend to scratch, grab and sometimes bite to get our attention. We’re working on helping you communicate better though.

Here are some of the things you’re doing this month:

• Crawling more and more

• Taking steps when people hold your arms up

• Babbling and recognizing us when we are in the room and babbling Mamama for Mommy and Bababa for Daddy

• Communicating when you’re hungry or thirsty by consistently signing “milk” and “eat”

• Standing more steadily

• Laughing big belly laughs when you’re having fun

• Saying “Oh” and “Woah” when things surprise you

• Wearing size 4 diapers

• Wearing size 6-12 month pants, 6-12 month shirts, 12 month onesies

• Wearing size 3 shoes

• Wearing size 6-12 month hats

• Eating about 6 oz per feeding in four bottles a day

• On formula only

• Going to sleep on your own when we put you down awake. You will fall asleep after about 10 minutes of “talking” and moving around. When you crash, you crash hard and sleep hard


We’re loving spending time with you and learning about you every day. You amaze us with what you can do and learn. There are things that you “get” that really astound us and we are excited to see what else you’ll learn this month!

Love,
Mommy and Daddy