Hi Caroline ~

Just a quick note in honor of your ten month birthday.  (yesterday - yay!)  You've now been here on earth one month longer then you were growing in my tummy.  Cool, huh?  And what you already know is so amazing.

You know how to crawl, pull up, cruise around furniture, and even stand without support balancing only on your own two little feet (that started Monday night just before you turned ten months!).  You know that our "doggie" Kinzo wears shiny chimes around her neck - otherwise known as dog tags - and you know if you catch Kinzo at just the right time of day, she'll even let you fiddle with those tags as you yank on her fur and I say "be gentle, be gentle" over and over again.  When Daddy pulls in the driveway from work and I make the announcement, you know to crawl as fast as possible to the back french door and desperately holler through the window (in your world, I think Daddy is always in the back yard doing some kind of work or even just wandering around it aimlessly gnashing his teeth out, looking for a yard fairy to swoop in and take over those duties).  Daddy always comes in the front door though after work, and you know to spin around on your tush and to give him a big, two-toothed grin, then bounce up and down until he picks you up.

Most of all, I think, is that you already know how to give kisses.  You'll lean your forehead into the other forehead (when you're in the mood, that is) and kind of smile.  You are such a sweet little girl and we are thrilled at all you know and are learning!

As far as the world around you, a lot goes on there too at this ten month milestone.  There's an election coming up and the Democrats just keep going at it to 'determine' a candidate.  Meanwhile, the Republicans are now trying to "leak" everything that might bite their candidate in the butt come this Fall.  TV and America are so preoccupied with Obama and Clinton's chicken fighting that any smart advisor knows to throw out the dirt on McCain, and anyone else for that matter, now.  I.e. the leak a couple of months ago about his supposed intimate relationship with some young, good-looking lobbyist.  Smart move - get the baloney out early, then when it's brought up during more important times everyone says - oh, that's old news.  Come on.  The cool thing for you in all of this, Caroline, is that in your first year of life, America will make history again.  Either a woman or a black man will be the nominee of the Democratic party, and possibly the President of the United States.  That's pretty neat - one day, if you decide you'd like to be president you'll be taken seriously as a woman candidate!  We're also in the middle of a recession and gas costs @ $3.50 a gallon this month - by the time you've grown up though, this may be chump change.  Who knows!  Other May events to celebrate for your mini-bday: Bestselling books right now (per the NY Times) are - 

Fiction "Sunday at Tiffany's" and "The Friday Night Knitting Club"

Non-fiction "The Revolution" and "Three Cups of Tea"

Childrens' "Read All about It!"

The bestselling album right now according to Billboard is Madonna's "Hard Candy" and the #1 movie is "Iron Man".  

I am reading Saki, A Passage to India, and My Dog Skip (for book club) in case you're ever interested your old mom's reading preferences.

So, anyway, dear little girl, enjoy the next couple of months leading up to your 12 month birthday - a big one, you know!!  I will keep you posted on what exciting things come up for you as well.  Happy Ten Month Birthday, Caroline!

Love,

Mama