This is your update for months 8 and 9! And what a couple of months it was! You are growing and developing like a superstar! In the past few months, you have reached some milestones like learning to sit and crawl, experienced several firsts like flying on an airplane, and grown into quite the big boy.
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| Baby mohawk! |
Milestones
Just a few weeks after you hit 7 months, you began sitting up on your own (for more than a few seconds). Mommy was a little worried because all the books say that 7 months is the upper end for learning to sit up. Sitting up was one of your coolest developments to date. It completely changed how you interacted with objects and played.
But then...
Only a week or so later, you mastered the art of crawling! Mommy definitely thought that she would have more of a gap in between sitting up and mobility!!!! And she was a little scared of you crawling. Not scared in the "Oh my goodness, I hope he doesn't get hurt" way, but more of the, "Oh no! I have to watch him every single solitary second so he doesn't get into anything bad, gross, dangerous, dirty, etc." way. So Mommy was quite surprised when crawling wasn't so bad at all. In fact, close some doors and add a gate to block the kitchen, and crawling was great. Instead of just crying or falling over trying to get a new toy, you could just crawl over and start playing with it!
But then...
Only a few days later, you began using the furniture to pull yourself into a standing position. And Mommy, said, "Oh No!" because now you really do have to be watched every second. And even though you figured out how to stand, and were quite proud of yourself, it took you awhile to figure out how to get down from standing without just falling over.
And then...
Well actually, around the same time as crawling, you got your very first tooth! And your second tooth! It was about three weeks of new developments and accomplishments every time we turned around. The first few days while that first tooth was cutting through your gum and growing in were pretty tough, but you made it!
And then...
You learned to wave! You wave at everything and everyone from the puppies to the ceiling fan, from Mommy & Daddy to your toys. It's pretty much the most adorable thing ever.
Your "Firsts"
Beyond your developmental firsts of first time sitting up, first time crawling, first time standing, and first tooth you also experienced more firsts!
In about a week's time, you had your first illnesses - the flu bug, a cold, and an ear infection. One right after the other in January. First it was the flu bug. Mommy got sick, so Daddy took over while Mommy felt miserable, but then the next day, Daddy started feeling sick. So we called Mimi. You went to Mimi's house for a few days, and Mommy and Daddy hoped that you wouldn't get sick. But no. Instead, not only did you get sick, but we also passed the bug to everyone at Mimi's house. About three days after Mommy got sick, Mommy and Daddy also went to Mimi's house to take care of you and everyone else that was sick. It was not the best week of your life...for anyone involved. This earned you the affectionate nickname: plague rat. And you are my favorite little plague rat. Right after you got over the flu bug, you caught a cold. Poor baby. And right after that, an ear infection. Thank goodness for the pink medicine (i.e. antibiotics).
You also experienced your very first airplane rides. We were all very sad because your Daddy's aunt passed away, so we traveled to Pennsylvania for the memorial service. And yes, we traveled by plane. Before the trip, Mommy did lots of research about flying with babies, and the research paid off. You were a very good boy through security, all of the flights, and even while we were delayed on the tarmac. In fact, you slept through the majority of our four flights. Mommy and Daddy sure are blessed with an amazing baby -- You!
You also got to meet many of your cousins on Daddy's side of the family. Your Mimi has five siblings, so there were lots and lots of cousins through their kids and their kids' kids. You were the baby though, and that meant that you were in high demand. You got passed around and cuddled and tickled and cooed at and loved on. Baby Prez, always remember that there is no measure for the love of family and that family is always a priority (right after God and your wifey).
During the same trip, we stayed in a hotel with you for the very first time. I think you missed home, but you also got sick the second night we were there, which meant that you cried. All. Night. Long. You had been sleeping through the night pretty well since December (6 1/2 months), so not sleeping through the night was unusual. And not sleeping at all was crazy. Mommy got about two hours of sleep that night, and Daddy got zero sleep that night. By about 3 or 4AM (and a hour and a half before we needed to leave for the airport), your forehead felt too hot. Oh no! A fever! Luckily, your Daddy is a hero. Despite getting no sleep, he ventured out in the middle of the night to find you some baby advil.
So, in one trip, you had your first plane ride, first hotel room, and first fever, and you met many new people.
Another new experience for you is daycare. In January, you started to go to daycare twice a week, right next door. It has been so nice to be able to walk you from door to door in about a minute. Mommy was a little nervous about doing daycare, but Mommy and Daddy knew that Mommy needed some extra time to work on her dissertation and other schoolwork. And aren't all mom a little worried on that first morning of daycare? But daycare has been great. You have so much fun with Lisa and the kids. You even have a best friend, Henry. Henry is not quite a year older than you, but still the closest in age to you. Since he can walk, when you are playing in the walker, Henry will bring you toys and play with the walker toys with you. You also play patty-cake with him! And Nora, who is about a year older than you, has a little crush on you. She will give you hugs and bring you toys.
Right before you turned nine months, we started on table foods. And at nine months you still weren't very interested. We tried bananas, macaroni noodles, grape halves, etc. But you thought they were just for playing. (A sneak preview of your next update is that you're starting to like table foods!)
More 8-9 Month Highlights
In January, Mommy and Baby Prez traveled to Oklahoma to visit Gramma, Grandpa, and Aunt Kiley. You were spoiled while Mommy worked like a crazy woman to catch up on schoolwork. You even got to watch your first basketball game. Even better, you got to meet Pistol Pete!
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| Go Cowgirls! |
And in February, you got to attend a birthday party for the first time. Along with a the party, you got to go to a roller skating rink (no, you didn't get to skate) and see a balloon for the first time. Went to a birthday party for the first time at the skating rink for cousin Chanel
At your 9 month checkup, your were:
20 pounds 9 ounces
and
29 inches tall.
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| Learning physics with Daddy |
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| Snow! |
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| Good night |
Mommy and Daddy can't wait to see all of your new accomplishments in the next few months and beyond! You are a very special little man, Baby President.
Love,
Mommy
