Dear Emmylou,

Yesterday you turned 10 months old, and last night, just as I was about to write your letter and take some video of you walking around the furniture, you fell and bonked your head on your Busy Zoo play cube. You managed to fall on the corner of it, right between your eyes, which is probably the worst injury you've had so far. Really, it wasn't that bad, but afterwards all you wanted to do was bury your head in my shoulder and then go to sleep. I thought you might have a black eye this morning but it's just a faint red line. Anyway, today we're having a big ice storm in Austin and staying home, so we'll have plenty of time to get some video later.

It always amazes me how much you change from month to month and this month was no exception. You finally figured out that to crawl you have to keep your knees down and not try to push up onto your feet, so you are really cruising around and a whole lot less frustrated when trying to get to all of your toys. Of course, you still prefer trying to walk and can now make an entire lap around our living room holding onto the furniture. Your little brain has been working overtime too, as you are picking up on so much more these days-- you are so responsive and expressive and getting much more independent in many little ways-- there are lots of things you already want to do all by yourself. On Friday we started Music Together and you LOVED it. I, in turn, LOVED watching you love it. Don't take this the wrong way, my love, but I'm a little surprised by how much fun we have together these days. I mean, I've always thoroughly enjoyed our time together, but this is legitimate fun! In fact, we had the best time together at the DMV, a place I thought was incapable of being pleasant, for two hours on Friday while I renewed my driver's license. What other baby would not only stay happy and quiet for two hours at the DMV but also charm everyone there in the meantime? You are truly special. That was a great day.

What else happened this month? You were sick for the first time which was terrible and I hope it never happens again (wouldn't that be nice). You enjoyed your first Christmas and celebrated the New Year in Austin, your new hometown with all of your family and friends (Yay! A regular occurrence now!). You are eating all kinds of new foods and you do love avocados now. I think your favorite new food this month is blueberry yogurt. You still love taking a bath and when I pour the water over your head you actually try to move around so it falls on your face. Oh, and you also put your face in the water and blew bubbles a couple of days ago and then again last night. How did you know how to do that? I have a sneaky suspicion that you'll be quite a little swimmer so I'll be signing us up for lessons pronto.

I never imagined you'd be such a great companion, Emmylou! I know this coming month we'll be doing many more fun things (sorry, no more DMV for a while). We'll definitely be going to see Aunt Lizzie a bunch at the Children's Museum and going for walks at Town Lake as soon as the weather gets a little better. I'm finally starting to feel more settled and excited as I see what our life looks like here. I've never been happier.

Love you,
Mama