Normally I do Michael's monthly updates. And for a while there were blogs about his sleeping, his eating, and so forth. But lately it feels like he's developing so quickly I barely have a second to write something before something else happens.

So, even though he's going to be 10 MONTHS OLD in a matter of days (well, eight days), I thought I'd go ahead and share some things in hopes that I'll still have some to share come next week.

It seems we've hit another wall when it comes to Michael's sleeping. For a while we had nap time down to a schedule (finally). Two and a half hours after he woke up, Michael would take what I call a "power nap". It'd be less than an hour. Even if it was fifty-five minutes, it was still less than an hour. Then in the afternoon he'd take a true nap, anywhere from an hour to two and a half hours long.

Then we hit a wall.

All of a sudden Michael was sleeping in until 9am, napping at random times (and by that I mean three to four 30 minute naps here and there), and not going to bed until 9pm or even ten o'clock at night, no matter what we did.

I don't know why I'm speaking in the past tense, because that's how it is now.

Maybe it's because he's more active. I mean, he's pulling himself up. He's cruising some of our furniture. Attempting to climb over/through furniture.

He's even taking a couple of naps in his crib... which could be causing part of the problem. Who knows. All of a sudden, we've hit another point of sleep regression.

Let me tell you, it's taking a toll on mommy and daddy as well.

Michael is also eating "real people food". His new favorite thing? Tuna. Good grief he loves tuna. Put it on his tray in front of him and he'll be a happy camper... until it's gone.
Oh, and he gets it all over himself.

His next favorite thing? Strawberries.

Maybe summertime makes us all crave fresh fruit, berries especially. But if Michael won't eat anything else you offer him, he will eat strawberries (even over tuna).

He also loves "combinations". Avocado + sweet potatoes. Peach + carrots. Mango + carrots. Sweet potato + applesauce. Basically he'll eat anything as long as you mix it with something sweet.

Last but not least, Michael loves to be outside. Half of the time he won't go down for a nap until we've been outside. He loves his stroller now. He loves the pool. He loves sitting in the grass. He loves the park. He loves it all. Even when it's 90 outside... he loves it.