Huh?! 10 Months??

Gage is ten months old.  It's gone by so quickly!  And not to say that I'm not counting the days till he's done nursing (because I SO am.  Hopefully next month??).  But he has been such a joy.  Here are some of the highlights:

Give me kisses on the shoulder after I pick him up.  Open-mouthed kisses.

Tries to hide his face when someone other than our family talks or smiles at him.  Example:  We were walking out of Costco and Gage was making noises with his fist and his mouth.  Like a ma, ma sound.  A woman behind us noticed and started copying Gage and teasing him.  Now the only way I even noticed her behind me was that as soon as Gage noticed her, he immediately stopped and slowly dropped his head down until it hit the bar in front of him on the cart.  And it stayed there!  He wouldn't pick it up :) 

Flaps his arms when excited.  This includes food he wants, drinks of his beloved water, a toy or book, when he wants to be held, and DOGS.  Gage loves, loves dogs.  The bigger the better.  What is it with my children and dogs?!  Luckily we have a history of living by neighbors with dogs, Massachusetts included.  Thank goodness for that!

Loves flipping through books.  I think he sat on his rug for a half an hour yesterday in the middle of a pile of books.  Even at church, when we're singing hymns, he fights to get at my hymnal.  To him it's just another book.  And his specialty are touch and feel right now. 

Can in no way crawl.  Not a bit.  Cries every time I leave him for a bit on his stomach.  But he's desperate to walk.  And he'll probably get the hang of that WAY before he crawls.  His poor little arms can't support his thick, chubby body. 

Throws everything.  And it's not the I'm a baby and I want to see what happens kind of throwing.  He thoroughly enjoys balls and seeing how far he can throw them.  The kids have taken it upon themselves to become the doggies and fetch what he dishes out (thus combining his two loves).  This has become his favorite pasttime.

This happy, rolly-polly guy is the love of our life.  He rarely cries and the kids all fight to sit by him or take turns holding him.  And he puts up with it happily.  Love you Gage!