Up All Night- The Growing Prysocks

Sweet boy, you're 10 months old today. I truly feel like just a few days ago I was writing your nine month update.  I can't believe we're so close to your first birthday.

Twice so far, someone has commented on your long, lovely fingers.  Both times the individual insisted that you MUST be a piano player.  Time will tell if you have any desire or inclination, but it made me think of my Mimi.  She apparently said the same thing about me when I was a baby.  It makes me sad that you never got to meet her, but also strangely like you're still connected to her anyway.

You're still wearing 9 and 12 months clothes {depending on the outfit}, but you seem to be getting longer and thinning out some.  It must be because of all the crawling around you do!  Most of your clothes that are getting too small are because you're getting too long for them rather than not fitting because of your round little belly.  I imagine we'll start packing up your 9 month clothes up soon and transition to only 12 month clothes.

You have a tooth! And almost a second tooth!  The first one broke through a couple of weeks ago, and you seem to have quite a bit of relief from it. Your poor little gum was so swollen that I was afraid the tooth was going to have to break through again, but it seems to have leveled out.  I think your second tooth will be breaking through any day now. 

You are crawling all over the dang place.  You're super fast. If we turn our heads for a few seconds, you'll be halfway across the room and getting into mischief.  You're cruising constantly.  You've also stood up {almost} totally unassisted.  One day this month, I was sitting on the floor and you crawled over, used my leg to get your feet under you and then just STOOD there. It was amazing. You've done it a few times since then and it's wonderful.

The bed time routine has become more defined this month.  We have dinner and then take you straight to the bath where you splash happily for awhile.  Once you start getting grumpy I get you ready for bed and read you a Bible story, On the Night You Were Born, and The Going to Bed Book. Then you nurse and fall asleep.


You're sleeping in your crib unswaddled these days. You typically go down around 6:30 and sleep until 7:00 or 7:15pm.  Then you're down until between 11pm and 1am.  Then down again until around 4-6am.  It sounds like a lot of wakeful times, and it is, but it's so much better than it was just a month ago.  So we'll take it! You'll sleep through the night eventually and the Lord is giving me patience as we work through this season.

Some nights you have a hard time going back to sleep during your second wake-up time.  I'll get you nice and sleepy, but as soon as I put you in the crib, you're awake and very aware that I'm not there.  Sometimes you get yourself asleep again and sometimes I rock you to sleep.  I'm sure most people would discourage that, since you aren't falling asleep on your own, but I cherish those moments.  Even in my exhaustion, I'm so grateful that the Lord has opened my eyes to the sweetness of rocking you to sleep. 

Things Gideon Loves at 10 Months

Crawling

Stealing Jonah's toys

Chewing on everything
Grabbing everything

Beesly

Cuddling

Pacifiers

Jonah's room

Peek-a-boo

Vertical blinds

Gideon, you are such a blessing to our family and we love you dearly.  Your happy spirit and curious nature are a beautiful addition to our little family. I'm running out of ways to say how much we love you, littlest one.  We are so lucky to walk through this life with you.  You are our favorite Gideon and we can't wait to see what God has planned for you.

Oh Sweet Boy.  You are THREE today.  How is that even possible? Three years ago today, I was laboring and praying and and hoping for you to be born.  And three years ago I was able to see you for the first time. In that moment, I became a mama.  Your father became a daddy.  And you taught us both what it truly means to love.

We are so blessed by you.

At three, you are a fireball.  I have jokingly called you a threenager, because you have certainly inherited some of Mama's sass.  It gets you in to trouble a lot, but let me tell you a secret: sometimes, Daddy and I have to turn away or leave the room because you're little attitude is precious and hilarious and we simply can't keep it together.  We come back to you with stern faces but, oh buddy, do you make us laugh.

You're also such a helper.  You love to help give Beesly her food or bring your dishes to the sink from the table.  You like to help me set the table and sometimes you even spontaneously decide that it is time to pick up {love it}.

You're cautious about things, too.  Unfamiliar situations make you shy and sometimes bring out a little defiance.  We try and talk with you through new things, which seems to help.  I think you're just a cautious guy by nature.

I think nap times might be a thing of the past.  I'm a little sad about it, but you've transitioned to having quiet time in your room instead. It seems to be working pretty well; you only need reminders once in awhile to be more quiet while your brother is sleeping.

You love us all so well, Jonah. You are so affectionate; hugs and kisses and cuddles happen often.  We have told you since you were teeny that you're our favorite Jonah and you're starting to spontaneously tell us that we're YOUR favorite. "You're my favorite Mama! You're my favorite Daddy!" It brings such joy to our hearts.  You ask everyone how their day was over dinner {I mean, come on. Too cute}. You also relish your role as big brother and seem to truly enjoy making Gideon laugh.  Whenever he gets fussy, you'll even start singing to him to try and cheer him up.  That's not to say everything's always perfect.  We still have to work on being gentle and sharing and not pushing or biting.  But we know you love him. It's obvious every time your face lights up when you see him. 

You amuse us with your toddler logic.  We'll ask you why you did something and your response is always, "I have to do it because I have to do it!" {My favorite example of this is when I was giving you hugs and kisses and you told me to stop.  When I asked why, you shrugged your shoulders and said, "You have to not kiss me because you have to not kiss me!"} As you can probably tell, you're a little bossy sometimes.  It's something we have to caution you about pretty often. I think part of it is just being a three year old. You're figuring out the world around you and it usually comes through making declarative statements and waiting to see what Daddy and I say to them.  "Daddy is at work." "Our friends are coming over for dinner."  Sometimes you take our answers and sometimes you insist that you're right and we are not.  

Your interests are becoming more defined {even as they are ever-shifting}.  You love to read.  We started making regular library trips this summer and you adore it.  You walk through the kids section and pull every book off the shelf that looks interesting to you {they love us there, obviously}.  When we bring them home, all you want to do for days is read them over and over.  It's so sweet and I hope that you always love reading so much.  You also love Legos and building with blocks.  Your imagination is starting to take off and we can often hear you playing and talking with your toys.  

Music is still a love as well.  Currently you love Mr. Phil music {Phil Wickham} and fun music {Owl City} and loud music {MUTEMATH}.  You ask for these frequently and even know the words to almost all of Mr. Phil music {his album Ascention, specifically}.  Whenever we play it, you raise your arms and start singing which is just. too. much.  When you aren't singing other people's songs, you like to play on the piano and make up songs of your own.  Sometimes about crocodiles or blocks or Beesly.  It's pretty darling.

Jonah Matthew, we adore you.  Three is definitely a different season, but we're excited to weather it with you. We love your sweet {and sometimes fiery} spirit and feel so lucky that we get to have you in our lives.  These simple words I take time to write every so often could never ever capture how deep and completely your daddy and I love you.  Our prayer for you is that you love God totally your whole life and that you know how overwhelming His love is for you.