Stephen at 10 Months

I took Stephen to his "9 month" well-child appointment on Wednesday.  I had his original "9 month" check-up scheduled awhile ago, but we needed to change it to a pre-op for his surgery.  So, his "9 month" check-up got pushed to a 10 month and 1 week.  :) 
Stephen's stats:
Weight: 19 lbs 10 oz (22%)
Length: 27.75 inches (16.5%)
Weight for length: 69%
Head circumference: 17.75 inches (32%)

My beefy baby is not so beefy after all! ;)  He has slimmed out- he was riding the 80% curve at his past check-ups, but now he is on the lower end of the curve. 
His check-up went perfect!  His ears look great now that he has the tubes, lungs were clear, we counted his teeth- 7 of them with one more just about to pop through.
Now that he hasn't been running a daily fever I decided to start his shots.  He got three of them.  It was hard to watch- the nurse wouldn't do them 2 at a time- poor SJ! 
On the development part of the exam, he is doing great!! The only part he didn't "pass" was that he doesn't clap his hands.  But, really I am not worried at all.  He is a happy, healthy, growing boy! :) 
Stephen has been getting more daring with his "furniture cruising."  In the last month he has been pulling himself up and standing in his crib, at the couch, at toy bins etc.  But, once he was up he was stuck.  Now, he is able to get back down.  On Monday he even climbed up onto the trampoline in our living room!  I couldn't believe it when I saw him completely on the tramp.  Yikes!  We have been sure to keep the door to the upstairs closed... Naturally the stairs will be the next climb he tries...but these steep steps will not be accessible to him anytime soon! 
Stephen is a little fighter!  I can't believe how defensive he is to John.  If he gets within an arms reach of John he swats at him and he shouts in his face.  John's sweetness just says, "NIIIICE BEEF! NIIICE!"  When John gives Stephen a hug, Stephen just cries-- I think the sibling rivalry is in full swing!
Stephen is eating all table foods.  He eats whatever we are having for that meal- except for eggs, honey, strawberries and nuts.  He loves food and so far I have really only found one food he doesn't like- avocados. Other then that he will eat everything, he is a good eater!  The weaning thing isn't going very well.  He has no interest in any kind of formula or BM from a bottle/cup/sippy.  I bought 5 different kinds of pre-mixed formula hoping he would like one of them- nope!
Stephen is sleeping through the night, only occasionally he wakes up. If I nurse him he goes right back to sleep.  He is still sleeping in the swing.  We put him to sleep at 8:30/9pm and he wakes up about 7/7:30am.  He naps on and off while we are running to appointments during the days, but when we are home for the day he takes a short cat-nap in the morning from about 10ish-10:30a and then again from 1-3/4pm.
Stephen loves to play with toys!!  He is very entertained by them- he has 2 toys that I would consider his favorite: Sophie the Giraffe and a plastic french fry.  He chews on them- they are small and the perfect size for little baby hands.  SJ really likes to play with a lot of different toys and is always trying to get in the middle of what ever JR is playing!
Stephen is still riding in his baby carrier for a car seat or as we call it; the bucket. However, I think he is almost bursting out of it!  We may be able to get a couple more weeks out of it... but then it is time for him to graduate to a rear facing 5 point harness car seat. 
Stephen continues to be an easy going baby with an infectious laugh.  Now, if I can just get him to stop being so feisty to John!  They are brothers for life- <3
<3  We love you Stephen!!!  <3