Here's what you've been up to:
* You are starting to get more mobile! Not crawling yet, but you can spin around in a circle while on your belly and you are a pro at scooting backwards. You aren't pulling that round belly off the floor yet, just using your arms to pull/push/turn yourself around in circles. I think you're still not quite sure how to work those legs. But you're getting closer every day! In fact, just this afternoon I took a video of you sitting on your little bum reaching and stretching and almost getting up on all fours. So incredibly close. You want to so badly.
* You have started to pull up on some things! You like to try and pull up on the baby gate in the playroom, and you also try to pull up at your activity tables. You've tried pulling up in your crib a couple times when we sat you in there to play, but since you can't get into a seated position by yourself, daddy and I haven't lowered your crib mattress yet. That will probably come soon. You'll usually pull up to your knees and then get frustrated because you don't know how to finish it....but just today, you pulled all the way up on your baby gate and thought you were SUCH a big boy!
* You looove to splash in water! We've had some great weather lately and you and I have spent many afternoons on the back patio relaxing in your baby pool. And you will just splash to your little heart's content! It's so fun to watch you! You'll splash and splash and then stop, look at me, GRIN, and get going again! This also carries over to the bathtub. You love the water!
* Daddy and I got you a wagon a few weeks ago and you love it so much! Often, instead of the stroller, I'll take you for long afternoon walks in the wagon. You think you are such a big boy riding in that thing! You will often drop your toys of out the wagon as we walk and you get a big kick out of me having to stop and pick them up. This might be your all time favorite game.
* We tried you in a swing at the park for the first time this month, on my birthday! You thought it was pretty neat :) You have the most adorable little smile, and you scrunched up your nose and squealed as we pushed you on the baby swing.
* A few weeks ago, we took our first family vacation. We flew to California for your Great Grandma Ollison's 90th birthday party! All your California family had the best time getting to meet you! You were a charmer. You met your third cousin Paige, who is just three weeks older than you, and almost all of your second cousins on Grandma Dal Ponte's side! We went to the Santa Ana Zoo, which is known for its monkeys. There are at least 50 monkeys on the grounds of the zoo at all times! We saw some pretty crazy monkeys! We also saw an anteater, which I was personally quite fascinated by :) This trip was full of so many 'firsts' that I'm going to make a mini-list!
1. Your first time on a plane! You did amazing. Didn't cry at all! Since we haven't had much luck with you and bottles, we decided to feed you baby food during take-off and landing to make sure you were actively swallowing. Worked perfectly! Once we were in the air, you played a little, made faces at mom and dad for a little while, and then fell fast asleep until landing. Perfect gentleman! You did this both ways.
2. First time sleeping away from home (well, except for at Grandma and Grandpa's house). We brought along your PeaPod, and you slept so well! We had an amazing hotel room, and we just set up the PeaPod in the closet in our room (I know, that sounds crazy, but the closet was roomy and the perfect size!)
3. First time in the pool! You loved the pool! Such a little water baby! We bought a little baby flotation ring for you and brought it with us to use, and boy did you ever love it! You kicked your little legs and tried to eat the float (haha!)
4. First time being really 'off' schedule. We kept you out late (waaay past your bedtime), missed naps, got you up early, fed you at weird times and in weird places...and you know what? You did amazing! You were such a trooper. Didn't cry at all. We were so proud of you!!
5. First time on a carousel and a train! You really liked the carousel ride...until you didn't. You were done with it, which was bad timing since we couldn't exactly jump off a moving carousel. After that, we went over and took the little train around the park! You had lots of fun riding the train, roaring at the animals and scrunching up your cute little nose!
* You love to throw your toys. It's one of your favorite games. I'll set you down with a bucket of toys and you'll take each one out, study it in your hands, maybe shake it a little....and then chuck it across the room. Before I know it, all of your toys are emptied out of the toy tub and are scattered all around you. You think this is great. Fantastic, really.
* You're still taking two naps a day, which range anywhere from 1-2 hours. I can always make them longer by going in and rocking you once you've woken up on your own. I love this time with you, even if it drastically reduces my productivity during your nap time :)
* You're no longer sleeping through the night....siiiiigh. You routinely wake up at least one or two times a night, and usually need to be rocked back to sleep at least once. You don't eat during the night, that's not allowed and you wouldn't want to anyway, you're just not sleeping a solid 10 hours anymore. Daddy and I decided we wouldn't try the cry it out method with you, we just don't feel like it's right for our family, so when you cry one of us always answers. I'm sure this is just a season, so for now, I'll just soak up my midnight snuggle sessions.
* You love to feed yourself. I pretty much let you try anything. Some new things you've tried include pasta, soft granola bars, cheerios, and grilled cheese sandwiches. Your favorite foods seem to be Baby MumMums, avocado, pears, Gerber puffs (you love these) and bananas. You are not such a big fan of pasta (maybe a texture thing?), and you haven't really been interested in oatmeal lately. We tried steel cut and it did not go over well. I think we're really moving away from baby food purees and into the land of real food!
* Speaking of eating, you are so funny when you do. You make a 'mmmmm' sound every single time you put a bite of something into your mouth. So adorable!
* You talk all the time. Not really words yet, but you are always talking. One of your favorite things to do is ball up your little fists and literally yell at daddy and I. If we yell back, you get SO excited, and you'll do it again. So cute. You also say "bla" pretty regularly, and 'da' less often. We have really been working on saying "mama"...I'm pretty sure it will be your first word ;);)
* One of your not so fun first this month was your first trip to the ER. You'd had a cold for weeks that just wouldn't quit, and after an afternoon of screaming/uncontrollable crying/lethargy/non-eating or drinking....daddy and I listened to our instincts and knew we needed to get you help. We took you to the ER, and they gave you a chest xray and ran some tests to find out that you had pneumonia and a double ear infection. My poor baby :( Even feeling so crummy, you were the sweetest little boy in the world. You barely fussed and just spent our time in the ER snuggled up close to mommy, taking in everything around you without a peep. I could tell you felt horrible, though, and it broke my heart. Daddy and I kept telling you over and over how we wished we could have done it all for you. We're only a day out from that visit, but already you are feeling so much better! You are on antibiotics and pain medication, and we will follow up with your regular doctor in a couple weeks to get you an all clear bill of health.
* Lately, you've started turning the pages in books and pulling down the flaps on the pages! We have a book called Peekaboo Forest, which you love, and you always pull down the flaps and I yell "peekaboo!" as you uncover the animal. You think it's so fun!
* We've been working on giving high fives! I'm not sure you totally get it yet, but you'll put your hand against mine, so I'm calling that good :)
* At your 9 month check-up, you weighed in at just over 22 pounds and measured at 29 inches long. You're wearing size 4 diapers!
+ You have SEVEN teeth! Four on top and three on the bottom. A fourth bottom tooth is just starting to poke through!
+ You are wearing 18 month clothes
I really can't even believe that I need to start planning your first birthday party. It's even harder for me to believe that we've now hit the point where you've been outside of me for as long as you were inside of me. I was just thinking today how it was eighteen months ago that we first found out about you. Where did all of that time go? As your mommy, I feel so blessed to have literally spent every single day of the last eighteen months with you. I was the one who got to feel you move and kick and hiccup inside of me. You have been a part of me all that time, physically at first, and now the most treasured and vital part of my heart. God chose us for one another, little one. Every season with you has been miraculous.
I love you little boy. So much more than I could ever say.
Love,
Your mama
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