The big 9.....mos that is!

Baby Girl is 9 months!

I just love every little piece of her.....doesn't she look cute in her little valentine's outfit and bow?

I also love that little flip in her hair, it gives her some personality

(and keeps her from looking like she has a boy hair cut)

Her hair has definitely gotten longer and holds a bow well, that's if she would let it. She has begun pulling at them in her hair. I have lost a number of bows and so have decided to be picky about when and where she wears them!

She is still smiling at everyone, but has started some stranger danger. She knows when mommy is gone and will frown a bit at strangers. Although, she hasn't cried when leaving her at church. I hope she is better about that than Garyn was!

Attention is what she wants, though! It is quite funny when she is yelling and climbing up your legs then as soon as you look/talk to her, she just smiles and laughs.

She is eating better, more veggies and some meats. I give her a mix of homemade and store bought baby food. I have found she likes them about the same, its more whether she likes that specific food or not. She absolutely loves eating banana in the little fresh food holder. She is also picking up and eating a lot of starch-type food. (crackers, rolls, cheerios and such) I have tried sippy cups but she isn't really interested in them. She is a climber, like I said before, so eating out with her has become a challenge. Little Houdini gets out of most high chair straps and climbs onto the table. We spend most of the dinner holding on to her shirt while she stands trying to keep her off the table and from falling. Ha! Maybe she is our motivation to eating at home more often!

More on being restrained, laying her down to change her diaper and putting her in the car seat are also a challenge. We have learned to be quick and have many diversions ready. Thankfully, she doesn't cry as much once in the car. Garyn keeps her entertained a lot for us!

You can tell in the above picture, she did not want to lay down!

Her weight at the doctor this week was 17 lbs. 13 oz. (Garyn was 18 lbs. at 4 months, haha!) And she was 28 1/4 inches long. Most 6-9 months still fit but are getting shorter in the arms and legs faster than else where.

We are still thinking she looks like both of us (shocker since she came from us both!) She resembles Garyn in the nose, cheeks, mouth and chin (which is Tyler) but in the eyes and forehead she looks more like me, I think. And those eyes are still crystal blue with long eyelashes....

Anything Garyn does, she wants to do. He has started picking her up and moving her from his toys only to find she comes right back. I explained to him she just wants to play with whatever he had. Much to his chagrin, she loves his cars! I can tell sharing all the toys that he thinks are just his is going to be a learning curve for him over the next few months. He loves playing with her, too, though. His favorite game is to run from her when she is crawling towards him. He hides and screeches acting like she is coming to get him. Its funny to her, too.

Sleeping wise.....

I don't think she sleeps like this all the time but I have found her this way several times. We are working on sleeping through the night. I have been letting her cry and fuss for naps and in the middle of the night. I usually give in after 10 mins and then she stays down after that. But most every time at nap, she cries until I come in then after I lay her down and give her the paci back, she goes to sleep. It as if she has to have the last word! A few times, though, she will fuss and go down on her own. At night, she goes down great without crying at about 8:30 and has been waking around 4 (here lately), eats, then goes back to sleep till 7 or so. I can't complain, I guess!

                    She absolutely loves this bean bag! She will take off, climb into it, turn and sit down with the biggest smile on her face. She then pats it and jumps around in it before she is off to her next adventure. Speaking of patting, she likes to pat you on the back while you are holding her. She is doing better on her wave. She says "da da"  while waving more often than not. But will still say "ma ma" and "bye bye" some. "Ooh's" and "ouuu's" are becoming a stable sound coming from her.

I am saying "Oooh", too, cause it's going by too fast!