We have four daughters, and I love taking photos of them. I just couldn't resist doing a lace dress photo shoot with these girls before Darcy grew out of her babyhood. I love how they turned out! I love how their personalities shine through these photos. I am the luckiest mama.
At your 9 month check up. You weighed 16 lbs 11 oz, which is the 25.02%. I am congratulating myself on your rolls, because I spend a lot of time nursing you and convincing you to nurse. I also pump morning and night to make sure my milk supply stays in tip top shape. Not to mention how much effort I went to teach you how to nurse initially. Yeah, I am patting myself on the back. :)
You are still tall. 28.5 inches! That is the 82.67%. I am still not sure where you are getting tall genes, when your sisters have never had them, but hey, I am just glad you are growing nice and healthy!
Your head circumfrance is 17.25 inches, which is 50.48%. Not too much of a bobble head just yet. :)
I started you on solid food just the day before your 9 month check up. We started with baby oatmeal, cucumbers, and tomatoes. You were never convinced to like baby oatmeal, but you eventually tolerated the cucumbers and tomatoes. The first food you seemed to really like was black beans.
You are about 2 seconds away from crawling. You like to shake from side to side on your hands and knees.
Yo have the cutest two little teeth that you are showing off here in your superman fly position.
Seriously so close to crawling. Here you have one knee pulled forward like you are poised to take off.
We love hearing you explore your voice. So many sounds: a-Da, a-Na, and even an occasional mama and gaga. It is seriously the sweetest little thing.
One new adventure this month is that you were introduced to the saucer! Man, I kinda hated storing that massive thing, but thankfully you made us feel validated in storing it because you definitely like it. And it helps contain you if needed. :)
One of you darling little tricks is shaking your head at us. We probably sound pretty goofy trying to make you do it, but it is adorable to see you wiggle your head after we coo at you, "Shake, shake, shake."
Honestly, could you be any cuter?!
You are definitely more aware of your surroundings. You notice when we are all at the table without you (like when we are eating a meal or playing a game) and you don't like it one bit. You yell and scoot around trying to get our attention. We end up bringing you over and putting you in the saucer or the bumbo.
Eliza is going to take over for a minute: Speaking of scooting around, you wiggle on your tummy with your hands propping you up to pivot. You are really good at it now. You can face any direction you want. Sometimes you will turn to follow us when we move around.
You also push yourself backwards a lot. You will back up, and it kind of seems intentional. You look behind you when you go back. You also will shriek really loud sometimes when you've been fairly quiet on the floor.
You love the baby faces books! You pat the pages, shriek, and laugh at them. It's the cutest!
You reach for people now! You like Mommy the best, especially when you're hungry, but you go to Daddy too. Sometimes you reach for me, often when my hair is wet.
The sad faces are cute too.
Alright, Mommy is back. Yes, I love it when you reach for me. It is a fun game we play as a family. Who will Darcy reach to? Mommy trumps Daddy most of the time. But sometimes you'll reach to Ellie instead of me. Ellie often has a compelling combination at bed time: wet hair and shiny gold buttons.
Grin starting...
Getting bigger...
Full grin plus squinty eyes!
Now adding the crinkly nose! We can't even handle it.
I spy two tiny brand new teeth.
Sooooo close to crawling, but we don't want you to crawl too soon. Sorry we just want you to stay babyish as long as possible.
Happy baby at night.
You went through the sweetest phase of giving me hugs. It was like you couldn't hug me enough so you would clamp on a start sucking on my collar bone. It was too cute!
Speaking of cute, we LOVE you in these new jammies. Such an angel.
Mommy probably takes too many photo of you, but really, how can there be too many photos of such a cutie pie??
Riding next to me on a hike. We sweat on each other, but you don't seem to mind.
Sometimes you even get a couple of winks of sleep.
Your sisters don't like playing with you at all. ;)
Like adding a crown.
I spy two cute teeth!
Hanging out in the front seat with Mommy for a couple of hours while we are waiting in line for our covid vaccination.
Mommy thoroughly enjoying the rare cuddle.
You give the funniest faces about eating. Check out this big pouty lip. "No thanks!" about the baby oatmeal.
Occasionally you even try to swat my hand away.
Daddy was pretty happy to catch this picture of you.
You have an audience always.
All tuckered out probably after a hike.
When Grandma and Grandpa came to visit you weren't shy at all. You were so sweet to let them hold you and play with you.
Happy with Grandma!
You have moved on from sticking you hand in my mouth when you nurse. Right now you kind of like to pinch my other breast while you nurse, which is not my favorite--it hurts. I have to strategically block access to the other side. One night you popped off the side you were nursing on and then reached up and pinched the side you had just been sucking on. Squirt!! Serves you right, little one! Don't bite the hand that feeds you, so to speak!
It wouldn't be that big of a deal to get pinched, but often your nails are much sharper than they look. This meme felt a little too accurate. :)
You love cuddling Daddy the best, no contest.
You still like the swing sometimes.
You love grabbing your feet!
Perhaps your favorite toy right not is the Lego bin. It is the toddler lego size, so they aren't dangerous, and you love unloading them every morning. Your favorite piece Also, spaz face. :)
Drool + jaw extended to the side + two tiny teeth = your signature look.
Sister in your bumbo.
You LOVE books! One of the easiest ways to make you happy is to read you some stories. It is darling how engaged you are with them.
Obviously this isn't a picture of it, but it is so funny when you make your way off the rugs and onto the hard floor. You really go some distance when you are on that floor. You push up in "Mermaid position" and slide back and back and back. Sometimes we wonder if you are pushing back intentionally and moving where you want to go. Sometimes you don't push up in mermaid position, but a full on plank! Hands and toes and that's it!
Easter baby!
You definitely hit a milestone this month of having to be moved out of the cradle. You got too good at rolling! You tried to roll in the cradle and got your head stuck the wrong way. Holland got bumped out of the crib (at almost 6 years old :) ). She wanted one last night in the crib and then it was all yours.
You prompted us to officially move Ellie into Miriam's room. Holland now has that room even if Ellie does school in there. Happy 9 months baby girl!
