Charlotte | 9 months

     This is Waaaaay over-due.  Sister turns one tomorrow, so I'm trying to catch-up on all the old blogposts I haven't published!  These are the things that happened between months 8-9.  Should have been posted January 28th!

"official 9 month photos"

Just look at this baby!

1.  She is extremely grabby.  She wants to get her hands on everything.  She is very determined once she sets her mind on something too.

2.  She pretty much consistently takes 2 naps- morning (9:30) and afternoon (1:00)  She nurses 4 times a day and has 3 "solid" food meals.  She eats small finger foods herself.  Finally, with our lives returning to a new normal after moving / holidays, she is sleeping through the night.  She goes to bed at 7:00/7:30 and wakes up around 5:30 to eat, then goes back to sleep until 7:30.  

3.  Her little personality is coming out so much lately.

4. Waving and saying bye-bye.  Ridiculously precious.  She is a bit of a parrot and will repeat things every now and then.  We're always like, no way is that what she's saying!  She has said "hat" "da-da". Something like "Jack".  "All done."  Her all done is extremely cute too.  Her attempt at the baby sign language for "all done" looks like a referee at a football game when the extra point is no good.  I like it better than the "real" motion, so we'll keep it!

5. Crawling!!!  (1.11.14) I think there was a bit of a learning curve on our new hard, slick floors w/out the traction of carpet or rugs.  I think she was motivated by how badly she wants to get her hands on things.  She pulls forward with her hands, up on all 4s, drags both legs until she falls forward on her belly, then pushes up to all 4s and repeats.  Doing a little swimming/kicking/reaching throughout.  

6.  At the end of the month she is really moving!  I feel bad for her in the new house, she has to really work to keep up with Jack!  When she really gets to going she kinda looks like a cartoon.  On the slick floor she can't do a long stride, so she shuffles quickly.  Something about it reminds me of one of those tiny poodles.

6. Ever so slightly wanting her momma over others.  If someone else is holding her she leans and reaches for me.  I like to think it's because she loves me and appreciates all the nights I lose sleep for her, but it's probably b/c I wear hoodies w/drawstrings a lot and she wants to grab them.

7.  She is very content to play.  As long as she's fed and changed and jack and I are within her line of sight she is perfectly content to play.  She plays in her crib a little each day too when I need a few minutes to get ready.  

8.  She still sits with us in church.  It's that awkward stage when nap starts 30 min after you get to church.  I love to hold her while she sleeps.  She fights it though (sleep that is).  You know she's done when she let's out one last frustrated grunt/squeal and then the eyes are closed.  If we're lucky this is happening during the worship segment. I thought maybe since she was crawling I miiiight consider putting her in the nursery Sunday morning.  I walked by the baby room, and couldn't do it!  Not my baby!!!  (Is it any wonder jack had separation anxiety??). I'm not ready!

9.  I love her and Jack together.  Jack will push her all around the house in her walker.  I'll go looking for them and Jack will have them in his room with the lights off and the star-projecting turtle on.  They're in there just loooking at all the stars.  Ha!

10.  Feeding herself quite a bit!  Sometimes whole meals.  Her 1st whole meal was a cheese quesadilla, black beans, and rice.  Her banana-eating technique is great.  She squeezes pieces in her fist until they slides up on top of her thumb and pointer finger, and while still holding the fist she pops it in her mouth.

11.  This is second-child sad, but she is just now getting to ride sitting up in the cart!  It's cold/flu season and most of the time I don't want to have to juggle her and Jack in the cart, so she rides in her carseat on the cart.  I was shopping with just her on this particular day and she was so thrilled to get to look around!

Oh, and my kids love to "pay" at the grocery store.  Haaaa!  Everyone has to have a card.