MJ - 9 Months Old

Sweet Baby Girl,
I can't believe we're approaching your 1-year birthday already. You have grown so much and you change every day, but I still can't get that first glimpse of you out of my head. The doctors handed you to me and I couldn't believe how big you were and how much hair you had (I felt like they handed me a 3-month old baby), and those cheeks! Those puffy, pink cheeks - so soft and sweet, when you let out your first cry, I knew instantly that you would change my life forever. And you have. Now you're 9 months old, gaining Independence, gaining confidence in your surroundings, and already learning how to manipulate us to get what you want... Usually a simple smile does the trick - those same pink puffy cheeks perk up, your rosy lips curl, your little button nose scrunches up and those big blue eyes light up. You now babble all the time...while you're eating (constantly singing the "mmmm" sound while you chew), you babble while you're playing, or in your crib, or when you're just trying to be noticed over your much-louder big brother. You wave hello/goodbye, you clap your hands when you're excited (or when we prompt you to), you move your head back and forth to say "no no no", you use your little fingers in that pincer grip, you say "dadada" and "mamama" and I'm pretty sure you know what you're saying. I think you're even recognizing sign language too (doggie, daddy, all-done, brother, mommy). And you are just as lazy as you are smart. According to the doctor - you're not crawling yet because you think it's easier to roll/scoot/shimmy to where you want to be. Hips are fine, ears are fine, legs are fine...you're just plain lazy. You'll dig your toe in, pick your body up off the ground and inch forward for 2-3 inches, but then give up and decide to roll. Though now you seem to be moving around in the sit position (I've heard of this type of "crawling" but never witnessed it) - spinning 360 degrees and moving several inches at a time - all while sitting down. We've had some fun watching you figure all of these things out...***Since I started writing this a week ago, you have now started to show an interest in pulling up on things - We've seen you get to your knees and then you crack up and fall back down... And if we place you next to the couch or stool, you'll stand there for a while before finally getting tired and going back down - this too, you crack up about...something about standing and getting upright makes you laugh hysterically***

Your 9 Month stats: You now weigh 21 lbs, and you are 28.5 inches. Still on the same curve of the growth chart (big). You eat everything that we feed you - except for peas. Favorites: Still squash & zucchini from my garden (yay!), pancakes, cooked brown rice, carrots, applesauce and goldfish crackers. Favorite Toy: my car keys... when they're not available, beads (red/white/blue from the 4th, or teal/black from the Panther's outing) - yes a choking hazard but still your favorite. And finally, you have your first tooth. It's tiny, sharp and too cute.

Thanks for another fabulous month Miss Molly! You are the sweetest and we can't get enough of you!!!

Summer '09

Sorry for the long post - we've been busy this month! Jack's at the perfect age where afternoon outings are enjoyable and we can plan a day of activities and know that it's going to go well. And Molly's still young enough that it doesn't matter to her either way. :) June was packed with activities... and we headed into July with the same ambitions! A few memorable moments...

First, a visit from Grammy - what a great visit we had, short, but great. This was her first time meeting Miss Molly, but she didn't have much time to get to know her, as Jack kept her running in circles from the second her plane landed in Charlotte. For a week before her visit, Jack kept telling me "this time I won't be shy" and he kept his word, that's for sure! Also, we celebrated Father's Day at the In-Law's house, what a fun night that was - complete with their make-shift "water park" and great food. It was a ton of fun getting the family together and seeing all the new babies!!! Movies in the park - for sure, something we'll be doing again soon! I just love our little town because it is host to many fun events like this one. We showed up around 6:30 for a movie that didn't start until 8:45ish (after dark) - Horton Hears A Who. But we had no problem killing time because of all the "extras" at movies-at-the-park. All the popcorn, Popsicles, chips, cookies, drinks, face painting, fake-tattooing, that a kid could want. Jack sat on the blanket and munched until 8:30. Molly however, was a sweaty mess the entire time. We had to strip her down to her diaper to try to make her more comfortable. Through this heat-fest, we also found out that she's a huge fan of Popsicles. The best part about this event was that it was FREE...everything was free. Thanks Nagy and Pop Pop for joining us (and for getting there early to reserve a decent spot on the lawn). Also this past month, Jack did Bible School (another freebie) for a week. They did all kinds of crafts, games, singing/dancing, etc. He loved it and at the end of the week, they put on a show to demonstrate what they learned. Panther's Tour - One of Marc's Networking Groups hosted a family "behind the scenes" private tour of the Panther's Stadium. That was a great trip... even got to spend some time with Sir Purr and a few cheerleaders as they were showing up for practice. Another memorable moment - we went to Splash Pad with some friends of mine... both kids had so much fun in this squirt/spray park for kids. Molly loved just sitting in front of a sprayer (remember, she's the sweater in our family), while Jack took hold of a huge water gun that blasted out buckets and buckets of water at a time. Then after we dried off, we hopped on board of the Kannapolis Express for a train ride.

That brings us to the 4th of July - the Annual Parade (another of Harrisburg's famous events), bbq, swimming, family and friends...this day had it all! Jack swam for several hours - only taking a break to eat a bunch of dessert items, then back in the pool. That boy loves to swim! Thanks Renee and Kevin for inviting us!

And this week, Molly's 9 Month Birthday. I'll recap Molly's last month in a few days. But for now, enjoy some pictures by clicking here.