10 MONTHS!

Dear Elzora,

Weight: 9125 grams (20 lbs)
Length: 72.5 centimeters (28.5 inches)
Head Circumference: 48 cm

On Saturday you turned 10 months old and now things are really starting to happen!!

You understand the words lamp, Mamma and Pappa. If I ask "Can you say Mamma?" you always reply "Pappa." You only say Mamma when you want more of something. If we ask you "Where is the lamp?" You point up. Sometimes mommy and daddy are cruel because we ask you where the lamp is when we are outside. Sorry, Elzora!

You can crawl and pull yourself up to standing, and you can stand up without holding on to anything, but your aren't quite ready to take your first step. I understand, it's scary.

You are exploring lots of new foods, but you don't really care for baby food. You like the stuff you can eat on your own like strawberries, hard egg yolks and pieces of broccoli, carrot and cucumber. I still give you formula in the afternoon, because I want to make sure you are getting all your nutrients and you don't drink very much water. You haven't had anything with sugar added, and I think we will keep it that way as long as we can. You have plenty of time for your Saturday candy in the future.

For the last 4 nights we've been putting you in your bed when you are still awake, usually around 9pm. On the first night you cried for 35 minutes. On the 2nd night you cried for 40 minutes. And on the third night you cried for one hour. But last night you fell asleep in 5 minutes. This is probably the hardest thing that I have ever had to do. We go up about every 15 minutes and check on you, but we don't lift you out of the bed. You have your music box and your lovely pink flower light. It's hard, but I know it's the best thing. I'm sorry that I made the mistake of putting you to sleep before putting you in your bed for the first 10 months of your life. Bad, mommy!
But once you are asleep you sleep all night, almost 12 whole hours. Thank you, my sweet girl!

Mommy is busy this week preparing for our big trip to Michigan!! So exciting. We are leaving on Sunday morning. I'm so thrilled that you are finally going to meet your Grandma Mary Jo, Granpa Mac, your Aunties, your cousin and Pascha and her family.

We are getting our new car today at 4 pm. Daddy can't wait. For him, today is like Christmas.

The Olympics are happening in Beijing. Sweden won it's first medal yesterday in the women's cycling event. Emma Johansson took the silver. Congratulations, Emma!

I love my little 10 month old Monk-Monk!!

Love,

Mommy

We Heart LSMonkey and Auntie Sarah!

Dear Elzora,
Not only did Sarah make the lovely dress that you are wearing in this picture, she was selected as Spraygraphic's Pic(k) of the Day!
Congratulations, Sarah.
Rock out with your art out!
Love,
Mommy

B-Cool with B-Fuel!!

Dear Elzora,
As I said in my last post, the three have us have been at home together for the last 2 weeks. It has been so nice to just relax and enjoy our little family. We didn't really do much, because we are saving up for our trip to Michigan on August 17th.

Today daddy went back to work. He has two weeks left at his current job and then he starts at H&M after our trip to the US. Mommy has been carefully studying the new H&M catalog so that I'm ready to shop when we get our H&M Club card!

We actually spent much of the last 2 weeks at the Volvo dealership here in Ulricehamn trying to make a decision on which new car to purchase. We need a bigger car and we want something environmentally friendly since daddy may be driving to Borås a few days every week starting in September.

We decided on black Volvo v70 b-fuel ride. We're so in love with it, and we aren't even getting it until August 12th. I am really happy that we went for the biogas vehicle. We were considering an ethanol vehicle, but after doing my own research, I feel that biogas is the better choice for our family. When we took the car for a test drive your daddy said "I just feel so good in my heart!"
I knew at that moment this was the car for our family.

Here is some information on b-fuel (biogas) and ethanol use here in Sweden.

Svensk Biogas
The Swedish Biogas Success Story
FordonsGas
Sustainable Ethanol Deal for Sweden and Brazil

Love,

Mommy

Hairlarious

Dear Elzora,
I promised myself that I would not become one of those mothers who puts the little pony tail on top of her baby's head when the poor child has like 10 hairs. Well, yesterday I broke that promise.

Tomorrow papa goes back to work. He's been home for 2 weeks on vacation. It has been extremely warm and the 3 of us have just been taking it easy and enjoying the lovely Swedish summer weather.

Your super powers are starting to reveal themselves. Did I tell you I was electrocuted while I was pregnant? I'll write more about it tomorrow when daddy goes back to work.

I love you, Elzora.

Love,
Mommy