Dear Isabelle | 10 months

Dearest Isabelle,

Wow 10 months baby girl, 10 months! Two more and you will be a year old - how amazing is that? You are growing so well and mummy has had to mentally prepare a list of your developments in the past one month so we can look back fondly in time to come.

"If you're happy and you know it clap your hands"

This song is starting to rub off you now, and mummy was pleasantly surprised when we were at baby sing and sign class you started to clap your hands are the right cue. When we sang the next verse "if you're angry and you know it stomp your feet" and there you were, stomping your chubby feet in unison. Amazing skill, baby girl. And almost like testing it wasn't a coincidence I sang it to you when we went to the park for a walk after class and true enough you clapped at the right cues. But then oddly these few days you decided to stop doing that. I'm sure it would come back again, won't it?

Finger fun

You are fascinated by your four fingers and you keep moving them, in a wave-like action. Sometimes you sit there and marvel whilst moving your fingers. On other times you practice with your fingers by picking up stuff, and so I've started to make you pick up your food (bread) and put it into your mouth. You are so pleased with yourself and started to clap your hands in glee. Really good grip there Isabelle.

Cruisin'

Oh you do have strong legs. Today you held on to my trousers from behind when mummy was washing some dishes. You stood up behind me and hugged my legs. That was such a sweet moment. You also started cruising. You would now hold on to furniture and walk around it whilst holding on. We are very amazed at how fast you climb up the stairs, all 14 steps baby. We will break into applause when you complete it and you will always smile with glee. It is also very cute to see how you will always turn behind whilst climbing up, almost to seek reassurance, or to ensure someone is there to catch you if you should fall.

Affection

You have shown some signs of affection which are heart-melting moments. You like to shove your forehead to show your affection. You do that to your (fav) penguin soft toy, and to mummy too, when you wake up in the mornings.

You had me at "Hi"

Your latest word- "Hi!" We were having lunch together with Aunt Rachel and a cute waiter waved and tried to play with you. For some reason you were mesmerised by him and you kept craning your neck to look out for him and kept saying "Hi. Hi. Hi." No baby, you are only 10 months old!

Nursery Rhymes

What can I say? You holler at me when the videos end, egging me to play the next one for you. Or sometimes if you manage to grab hold of the remote control, you actually hold it and press on random buttons, but you will know to point it toward the TV. Little Baby Bum literally takes your breath away. Your eyes are transfixed, you mouth opens slightly and there is such intense concentration. I just hope that you are learning things via these addictive nursery rhymes videos. These past two nights we adults decided to have our dinner first before putting you to bed and as a result you had two consecutive late nursery rhymes TV party till 8pm.

It's only nursery rhymes, why so serious baby?

Curious

We love how curious you generally are. Your face shows it all. You discern your new surroundings carefully. You examine new things and freely put them into your mouth. You love love love mobile phones. You will always manage to catch hold of one and if it's mummy's iPhone, you will immediately place your thumb on the home button and press repeatedly with gusto.

Phones are your favourite things ever.

You are filling our hearts with so much love, and we love you oh so very much. Mummy is sad to know that she only has 5 weeks with you before she goes back to work, and so November is a very precious month for both of us. Let's make it a memorable month, shall we?

Continue to grow well baby girl, and never stop looking around you in awe and wonder - there are lots of things waiting for you to be discovered. Mummy and daddy will always be there to cheer you on.