My 10 month old's changing life

So, it's been quite a while since my last post due to our crazy schedule lately. Kaydee is now 10 months old & in lieu of doing a 10 month post, I figured I would just do an update on how things have changed lately.

On June 13, Mike and I made a major life-changing decision. We decided I would stay home with Kaydee full time making me a STAY AT HOME MOMMA! It was a hard and thoughtful decision. First things first-budget. We had to get a budget together. It's something we really never had to do, but something that was worth the alternative (keeping K in daycare).

Not only was it going to be a finance-changing decision, but a lifestyle changing one as well--what am I going to do all day???

The first thing I needed to do was get my house clean. Not the every-day pick up that's been done for the past 3 years, but a deep clean, spotless baseboards type clean. I made it through three rooms with it...ugh! After 3 days, we noticed Kaydee's voice was getting hoarse and wasn't going away, so we took her to the doc. Turns out, all the dust I was kicking up during the cleaning process was messing with her allergies. Soooo...guess I need to lay off for a while...bummer ;).

So, what else can I do? I literally stay bored at home. We got Mike's car fixed, but it remains in the shop waiting on a wheel that had to be sent off for repair so I am still at home with no vehicle ... basically stranded with a 10 month old, lol. Once I get my car back I am going to start bringing Kaydee to the park, the pool, zoo, and hopefully get involved in a playgroup. There were lots of pros to her being in daycare and one of them was it kept her socialized. I have friends with little ones her age or close, but most of them live farther than just a few miles up the road.

(Baby cries in the background because I told her "no"...)

My last day of work was July 8 and so I have been home for only a week only to realize-this is much harder than I had imagined it would be. Everytime I get started doing something productive, Kaydee decides she has other plans for me...like screaming to get my attention, pinching her finger in a cabinet, falling face-first into our hardwood floors, pulling folded clothes onto the floor-thus making that task a much longer task than I had anticipated.

Kate is up to:

**No more baby food. She will not eat it if it is not being fed to her by her own hands. And since the coordination to hold a spoon doesn't come for another few months, she is on all solids. :) I worry about her not getting the proper nutrition I could ensure she got while eating her pureed carrots, sweet potatoes, green beans, apples, pears, etc... But, my doctor reassures me as long as I am being conscious of it, she is fine.

**ALMOST no more formula. At the doctor's visit mentioned earlier in this post, I mentioned her whole milk intake. We just purchased a case of formula which lasts about 2 weeks, and the doctor said this could be the last bit of formula we give her. She is almost entirely on whole milk!! It was hard to introduce at first as she was constantly turning her head away from the chilled version of her prior bottles, but after a couple of weeks, she finally responds positively to it! That will play a nice part in budgeting for other things. ;)

**CRAWLS everywhere and gets into everything. Her curious nature is proving to be a constant, "No Kaydee", "Don't touch that", "Take that out of your mouth", "Don't climb on that", "What the hell is that?" (lol), but I think of it as a good sign she likes to learn and discover new things.

(Fell down from the back window and is now upset)

**Cruises furniture. She has stood on her own a few times, but it's always on her terms. I can't get her to just let go ...it's always while she is holding onto something else, so I can't get a shot of it!

**Wears 6-12 & a lot of 12-18 month clothes. She has completely outgrown her 6-9 month outfits.

**Weighs 20.6 lbs as of 7/15. She has been right around the 20 lb mark for a while now.

With this new decision having changed our lives, I believe it has changed our lives for the best. I am excited to attend all of K's school functions without the guilt of telling my employer I am unable to make it in that day.

Pics of our new adventure to come as our new chapter unfolds.

A couple of updates of what has been going on the past month 1/2:

We took a trip up to VA to attend my mom's mother's family reunion. Kaydee was the newest generation and had her own line labeled on the family tree...so cute. I meant to take a picture of it, but never did. :( We had a whirlwind trip for a weekend to the Shenandoah River State Park where there was canoeing, fishing, and picnicking. We all had a great time and it's always nice to see family we haven't seen in quite some time.

My parents bought a new house. On Joey's 17th birthday, we spent the day moving 24 years worth of stuff into their new house. It's such a beautiful home and I am so excited they get to experience what they have always dreamed of.