10 Months Old

At 10 months, Natalie weighs 20.5 lbs, has 8 teeth (4 bottom and 4 top), can stand for a long period of time on her own, and is walking more frequently (but is still getting the hang of it). She is now saying "mama" and "dada," and has found her LOUD voice. Oh, girl, here we go. I also started brushing her teeth every night using the bristles that fit on your finger (like a finger puppet), but she keeps biting me! It REALLY hurts. I think I need to get the regular baby toothbrush...

She loves to shake her maracas wildly!

Natalie also started biting my shoulder when she hugs me (and even breaks the skin!). I started telling her "don't bite" and then putting her down when she did. I'm using this as a consequence because she wants to be held. So far, the biting has stopped. I think it might be a teething thing, so I try to keep teething rings handy as well. We're also trying to be careful about not play-biting with her (like nibbling at her toes/hands/tummy/neck). I hear that this is how a lot of children think the biting is playing and end up hurting other kids. It's hard not to have a startled and loud reaction when she bites, but I try not to do that, too, so that she isn't tempted to get the same reaction out of me.