Happy 10 Month Birthday, David!
What fun this past month has been again! You may not express yourself verbally just yet, but I can so easily see the wheels in your brain going as you think through so much now...What a smart, observant boy you are!!!
You have become quite a picky eater! While I have tried to feed you "real" food, including grilled cheese, deli meat, "grown-up" oatmeal, waffles, macaroni and cheese, and a few other things, you are quite impossible in that arena. You still move your head back when the spoon comes to your mouth, take a long look at the spoon, and if it is something you have not tried before/regularly, you will clamp your mouth shut and refuse to try it. Occasionally, you will stick out your tongue as far as it goes to taste the item but amazingly, you manage to do this with your mouth still shut as tight as can be around the tongue. After forcing some of this new food in your mouth, you have discovered you do not mind it, but still rarely a favorite, and we go through the process all over again next time I serve the same food. If you do not like it at all, you also wave "bye bye" to it. (which is really funny since you won't wave to us yet!) I have also caught you taking the food back out of your mouth with your fingers when you do not like it. You also show your strong preferences; you far prefer puffs to cheerios and will pick out all the puffs on your tray and leave the cheerios. How amazing to see a baby this young have such strong likes and dislikes! Mama still continues to feed you these "unfavored" foods in order to attempt to create a cheerful eater later on.
I am also convinced that you will be drinking out of a normal cup long before you hold your own bottle. I have seen this great talent as you sip away at your bath water with the cup that I use to wash your hair.
This month, you have spent a lot of time playing! 
Playing in the bathtub,
Playing in the neighborhood pool,
Playing with your cousins (you are Cousin Baby Michael David to them-what a mouthful!) and playing with your aunts and uncles (Aunt Sarah and Uncle Rich came to visit from DC),
Playing in the sand for the first time at Galveston beach,
Playing (rather, fussing) through your first trip to the Galveston Aquarium,
Playing in your crib (often when you are supposed to be napping),
and your favorite~ Playing with doors and gates,
pots and pans,
and all sorts of balls, both large and small!!!
You have started standing on your own comfortably this month. You can even stand up from seated position without pulling up on something. You took your first step on Memorial Day--just one step between coffee table and couch. You have used your walker the past several days as a security clutch, just barely touching it as you walk across the floor. (Thanks, April!) You have shown signs of really considering/wanting to walk on your own this week. You will often stand and then look at an object or Mama just out of reach as if pondering how to get there on your feet. You will start to sit and then think better of it and stand again still pondering this. As of yet, no further action, but it will come all too soon! Even your friends, the nursery workers, have commented on this.
You still sleep well at night and most often take two long naps, but your play does sometimes get in the way...this means that you tend to be far more cheerful (up to a point) minus your naps or with shorter ones. 
This month, you got a new convertible carseat-the old one was just too unsafe and a headache to get into the car and stay secure. You are rather a fan of this new cushy ride. However, it still is facing backward and you can't wait to be able to see everything from the correct perspective! And when you do fuss now, it is almost impossible to console you since the back of the carseat is so high!
At 10 months, you are still rather lean in the waist and so can fit smaller clothes, but your length has prompted Mama to put away all your 3-6 month clothes (about time too, isn't it?)
You have decided you don't like hats. It has become a game to pull them off almost as soon as they go on.
I think you are cutting your upper teeth now. Certain signs are back (after the last round) like the fussiness for no apparent reason and chewing on everything, not to mention the drool!
Even if you choose not to talk nor generally acknowledge words, there are a few phrases you have shown definitely to understand: "No" "Sit Down" "Open your mouth" (which does take some convincing), "Throw the ball" and "Do you want a spanking?" This last one is funny to watch as you might or might not respond readily to "no," but as soon as you hear the word "spanking" (which have had several times), you are immediately obedient! Thank you, sweet boy!
I love your giggles! Especially since they come over the silliest things~ my singing, hand motions, kisses, seeing the cats, seeing your big ball...you name it. They are thoroughly fun and contagious!!! I love the mornings that we just giggle together for minutes at a time!
I can't wait to see what this next month brings! So much more fun, I am sure! (and probably a toddler!)
We love you so much, David!
Love,
Mama and Daddy
