As we draw to the close of month nine, here is a selection of some of C's eight and nine month favorites. Obviously, he isn't reading a cookbook on his own just yet, but I can assure you that he has been thoroughly enjoying some of the recipes that have been coming from it. At his latest checkup, C went from somewhere in the mid 40% for weight at his six month check, to the mid 70% at nine months. Think he likes to eat much? Following mealtime, we are always sure to finish up with a good brush of his solitary tooth with the baby banana. Never to early to start good hygiene right?! I'm sure if it was up to T, he'd have learned to floss by now too!

Blocks // C can't seem to get enough of blocks! These Infantino Discover & Play Soft Blocks have been a huge favorite with their crinkles, rattles, ties and flaps. They've been a source of absolute fascination for at least these two months. C doesn't usually try to eat these blocks, so much as spend hours exploring the different textures, colors, patterns, and sounds. Another more recent favorite after C was officially nine months, are the B. One Two Squeeze Blocks. He enjoys chewing on these, helping us build up, then knocking over block towers, and dumping them from his dump truck. Keeping with the block theme, C recently had to opportunity to play with these Edushape Soft Blocks, and was completely fascinated. We may have a little builder on our hands!

Boogie Wipes // We made it until almost nine months without any sickness or colds in our house...which I mostly credit to all of the antibodies he was receiving from nursing and the fact that he does not attend daycare...that being said, now that he is teething and has completely switched to formula, 'boogies' have made an appearance, and aren't likely going to go anywhere until this cold weather disappears and he's got a full set of teeth. Enter the boogie wipe! Basically the best invention since sliced bread if you ask me. These nasal saline wipes do an excellent job of wiping away all types of boogies be they the wet runny kind, or the dry crusty variety.

Baby Banana Toothbrush // Now that C officially has a tooth, I picked up this little training toothbrush teether to get him used to the feel of bristles in his mouth. He loves to chew on this 'toothbrush' and it's the perfect size for gripping. It also comes in other designs if banana or the color yellow aren't your favorites!

NUBY 3 Stage Sippy Cup // After testing our way through a seemingly endless supply of sippy cups to find one that didn't leak all over, this cup is the only one to pass multiple tests. After C realized that using a sippy cup was not very difficult and offered immediate satisfaction from hunger, he hasn't looked back. The 8 oz. version is particularly easy for him to latch on to as the base of the sippy nipple is relatively wide. I also ordered a larger 10 oz. size version of this cup, but the base of the sippy is more the size of a traditional bottle nipple, and while it still works, it usually takes C about twice as long to figure out since he never took a bottle and is not used to the smaller sippy attachment.

B. Zany Zoo Wooden Activity Cube // This activity cube has provided C with endless hours of entertainment and wonder. Made from solid wood, this cube has been wonderful for giving C something to hold on to as he learned to sit and stand. Each side has a different 'activity', and the top has been a source of wonder for C who is working on standing and curious about everything.

Baby Einstein Discovering Music Table // This music table has been such fun. The removable legs are great for sitting-only babies, and when ready can be added to make it a fun table to practice standing or walking around. C enjoys playing the piano and hearing the different types of music from guitar to violin to drums. 

The Wholesome Baby Food Guide Cookbook // I posted a little about this in C's Nine Month Update, but can't stress enough what a wonderful resource this has been for all things baby food. Not only does it have a TON of great recipe ideas, but it also has a significant portion of the book dedicated to what foods are appropriate at each stage, nutritional information, myths in baby feeding, allergies and adverse reactions to watch for, sample feeding schedules, preparation, and storage tricks and techniques. If you are in the market for a baby food cookbook, this is it. There is also a website to go along with this book that has great info as well.

Stokke Tripp Trapp High Chair // C has recently discovered that if he kicks his legs enough, he can get the baby base he usually eats in to scoot across the counter...not exactly safe. When he is 'helping' me with dinner, he enjoys sitting in the high chair, and loves to scoot up to the table with T & I when we sit down to eat. I LOVE this high chair's minimalistic design and the fact that it is all wood. Blending seamlessly into the decor of our home without being an eyesore is a huge plus! It is a piece of art compared to the majority of high chairs out there! Since it's all solid surface, wiping it down after mealtime is a breeze. This high chair is also adjustable, so it will grow with C for many years (can support up to 300lbs!), and is compact so doesn't take up much space. It was a definite splurge item, but I would recommend wholeheartedly since it will no doubt be getting a ton of use over the years, and the quality is superb. Built to last for sure! There are many different colors options available if you have a different color in mind.

Carter: 9 Months

Hello nine months! I can't believe how fast time is flying. C has more personality than ever, and has been keeping our spirits bright during what has proven to be a never-ending string of cold blustery days this month. He loves to read, roughhouse, eat, bounce in his Jumparoo, and see Papa T when he comes home from work in the evenings. C continues to be quite the mama's boy, so leaving him for any length of time has proven to be a struggle for whoever the lucky recipient of C's undivided attention happens to be. At some point I'm sure he'll realize that he can still have fun hanging out with other people when mom's not around, but for now, he's pretty set in his routine, and isn't too thrilled to be left without his mama. I've got no doubt that these days are numbered, so I think I'll enjoy every minute while it lasts!

The other day, after C had been napping peacefully for about an hour or so, I heard a crinkling noise coming from his room. After going in to check on him, I discovered that he had managed to knock down a couple of his soft books that had been sitting on the ledge of his crib. Instead of napping, our little bookworm was busy turning pages and looking at pictures. Reading in bed at it's finest!



Another favorite...sitting on the couch reading magazines with mom. Even better if he gets to tear out pages and perfect his crinkle skills!

9 MONTH FAVORITES

Solid food

Scratching different textures

Reading

Swimming

Shaking his head 'no'

Water glasses

Having visitors
Tapping his foot (particularly when his food is taking too long to prepare)

Touching faces

C has been interested in men's faces and their whiskers for a long while already, but his latest habit has been to have one hand on mom's face while being held or when he's tired. Adorable.

9 MONTH LEAST FAVORITES

'Roaring' like a lion

When mom is holding another baby

Singing:

C got to watch part of the Grammy Awards Show this month. At some point, one of the performers started crooning 'You've Lost That Loving Feeling', and when he got to the word 'baby', out of nowhere, C had a scared silent cry and real tears. Apparently, we didn't lose the loving feeling in this house!

MEMORIES & MILESTONES

Sitting unassisted. Woohoo!! At the beginning of this month, C finally got his balance figured out, and can now sit by himself unassisted. I stay close, because he still inevitably tips over at which time cryfest ensues, but he's been doing a good job with it and gets better every day. Must be his extra workouts at physical therapy starting to pay off...In other BIG news, C rolled from back to front for the very first time on his nine month birthday. He's been trying to reach for toys above or behind his head lately, so I thought this might be coming soon, but nevertheless, it surprised him when it happened, and he immediately rolled again to get out of his very least favorite position...tummy time.

C was baptized this month. The day was a whirlwind, and C had no problem being the center of attention. We had a small gathering of family at our house following the service, and after a serious power nap while everyone ate lunch, C enjoyed spending time playing with everyone who came to help celebrate his special day.

First taste of meat - chicken! C was about a week into his eighth month when I offered him his first taste of meat...super finely puréed chicken mixed in with some sweet potatoes. I definitely wouldn't call it a favorite, but he did manage to at least choke it down give it a reasonable taste. For the most part, he is still primarily on a milk, oatmeal, fruit and veggie diet. This month, he got to try egg yolks, blueberries, plums, peaches, parsnips, and yogurt among other things. In celebration of turning nine months, we even let him sneak a few bites of Grandma S's jello cake...in case you're wondering, after the initial tentative bite, he turned into a hungry bird, and immediately wanted more. Once C starts to eat more table food, we'll have to be extra careful about making sure he eats the healthy veggies and fruits first before offering any sort of sweets.

Around the middle of month eight, we introduced a sippy cup and started transitioning to formula after C started biting reluctantly discovered no harm will come. He was starting to look a little thin, and had begun losing interest in nursing, so after a couple of attempts with the sippy cup, he figured things out and was back on track. Until 8.5 months, C was still nursing four times daily in addition to two-three solid food meals per day. I've been making all homemade baby food for C, and therefore have been researching  and reading quite a bit about the transition to solid foods. What I've learned is that until he is a year old, milk should still remain the most important part of his diet, with solid foods being secondary. In hindsight, I think part of the reason he seemed to be slimming down was due to the fact that he was eating so much solid food that he wasn't getting enough calories from milk in his diet. Let's be honest...if all we ever ate was oatmeal, fruits, and veggies, I'm sure we'd all be in supermodel form! Needless to say, after this discovery, I switched things up a bit and his current feeding schedule looks a little something like this:

8:30 a.m. // Nurse, then 9 oz. sippy cup with formula

10 a.m. // 2 oz. formula mixed with oatmeal, fruit, or fruit & yogurt

1:30 p.m. // 6-9 oz. sippy cup with formula

2:45 p.m. // veggie and fruit (approx. 3/4 C depending how much C likes whatever I'm offering)

5-5:30 p.m. // 6-9 oz. sippy cup with formula

6:30 p.m. // 2 oz. formula mixed with oatmeal, veggie or fruit (Depending on the day and how late nap time goes, we don't always have a third solid food meal in order to make sure C will take a full sippy cup before bed)

7:45-8 p.m. // 9 oz. sippy cup with formula

At his at-home weigh-in on his nine month birthday, he came in at a cool 22 lbs. 6 oz. He's officially wearing mostly 12 month sized clothing, and is in the 12-18 month pant size after his muffin top expanded with all of the formula lately. Our official nine month checkup isn't for a couple of weeks yet, so I'll be sure to post an official update then.

In terms of specific recipes, a couple of C's current favorites are:

Breakfast:

+ Banana Cado // 1/2 banana mashed with 1/2 avocado

+ Yogurt mixed with fruit

Lunch/Dinner:

+ Green Monster // 1/4 C green beans, 1/2 avocado, 3 Tbsp apple or pears

+ Plum Squash Puree // Equal parts plums and squash

+ Zucchini Apple Puree // Equal parts zucchini and apple

I've been using the The Wholesome Baby Food Guide cookbook a LOT for recipe ideas, and often refer to their handy sample menu schedule for inspiration and variety. So far, I've found this cookbook to have the best information and more variety of recipes than any of the other numerous baby food cookbooks I've read or purchased. The recipes for babies that are beyond single food purees are particularly helpful to know what veggies and fruits will pair well together, and what kind of herbs might be a good addition to various foods. The cookbook also sorts out foods into ages they are safe to introduce, explains how well various foods will freeze, and has a wealth of information about all things baby food. Cooking for Baby is another cookbook I've enjoyed reading that offers more visuals, although less recipes.



First Valentine's Day celebration. C was excited to have Grandma J & Grandpa T visit him for Valentine's Day this year, and T & I were excited to finally have the opportunity to go out on a date. After calling around last minute for a reservation on what was surely the busiest day of the winter season, we ended up with a 6:45 reservation at Kazarellis. We literally had not been on a single 'adults-only' date since our anniversary waaaaaaay back in May when C was only a couple of weeks old. It was so nice to get out for once, but of course, because of the holiday, the restaurant was packed, and we didn't even sit down until 45 minutes after we were supposed to. Due to the poor planning on the restaurant's part, I missed C's bedtime for the first time since he joined us nine months ago. Grandma J assured me that after a slight struggle, he did do OK going to sleep, although he wasn't all too pleased that it wasn't mom feeding him and laying him down. After T & I got home from dinner and settled in for the evening, C woke up for about five minutes to scold me about missing his bedtime and to have a reassuring snuggle to make sure all was back to normal before calling it a night.

C completed his very first swim lessons this month! At the last class, all of the other parents were commenting on how much he has grown since our first class six weeks previous when C was just  7.5 months old. C has now passed level 'Shrimp', and pretty much loved every minute of his time in the pool. Some of the things he 'learned'  were how to jump off the wall, blow bubbles, use a kick board, go underwater, use the slide, swim in the deep water with a float belt, and the flutter kick. I'm sure he'll be swimming on his own in no time! All in all, getting C in the water as young as he is was the best decision we could have made. Not only because it helped him to become more comfortable with the idea, but also so that he could watch and learn from the other little kiddos near his age, and work on building those core muscles through water resistance. We live on a lake, and spend the majority of the nice weather around water, so teaching C how to swim at a young age is absolutely essential for everyone's piece of mind and C's safety in the coming years.

As I type this 9 month update, C's very first tooth is starting to pop through. We were starting to wonder if he was ever going to get any teeth, but as with most things when it comes to C, he was in no hurry to start teething. So far, he's been doing pretty well with the whole ordeal, and while he has been waking up about once a night needing to be consoled, overall it hasn't been too hard to sooth him and get him back to sleep within about five minutes. After chatting with T's cousin who has a babe about 7 months older than C, I ordered Camilla to help sooth the teething pain. The jury is still out here as to whether this has been working for us or not as I've only just tried it a couple of times so far.

Playing 'Peek-A-Boo' and 'Soooo Big' are two of this months favorites. When C is on the floor playing, he will inevitably find the edge of the blanket and pull it over his face and wait until I notice he is 'missing' to play Peek-A-Boo with him. He is especially fond of a big production though, and LOVES when T or I billow out a big blanket over him and let it settle while searching for him. When we finally 'find' him, he is completely overjoyed, flashes us his adorable smile, maybe a laugh, and then starts babbling for us to do it again. His latest trick has been the 'soooo big' move putting his hands over his head...and then shaking his head no. I'm not sure why he thinks this is so fun, but it's pretty funny to watch. The head shaking thing was new during the middle of this month, and he is always doing it at opportune moments like when I ask him if he wants more to eat, if he knows where one of his toys went, or if he is ready for bed. Such a silly little guy!

We may not always realize we're making memories...we just know we're having fun!

So Much Love

Happy Valentines Day everyone! I hope you all have a love-filled day...whether that be spending time with someone you love, or enjoying an activity you love. For us, that will mean lots of hugs and kisses for C today. In another life, that might have meant a shopping trip, a nice dinner out, or catching the latest romantic comedy. This year, we'll be spending this blustery wintery day all cooped up inside where it's warm and toasty enjoying many many kisses, smiles, and smooches with our little guy.

At first, this guy wasn't too sure of this photo shoot, but after he realized he might get a taste of the sparkly heart props, he got super excited about it. Can we just take a moment to admire C's chubby baby thighs. Is there anything cuter? His mom socks and I'm With Cupid onesie just take the cake.

In preparation for the holiday, we've been reading the love themed Huggy Kissy by Leslie Patricelli.  A cute little book about a baby with all sorts of ideas and reasons for hugging and kissing. Eskimo kisses, bear hugs, a peck on the cheek, tight squeezes...you name it, this book has it covered. If you have any other holiday themed books you'd recommend, I'd love to hear about them! 

Absolutely thrilled to have snuck in a taste of the heart. By the end of our photo session, C was covered in glitter from head to toe, and loving everything about it.

...When I tell you I love you, 

I don't say it out of habit, 

or to make conversation. 

I say it to remind you 

that you're the BEST THING

that's ever happened to me....

XOXO

God Bless This Child

Over the weekend, surrounded by family, we celebrated C's baptism. He was such a little rockstar the entire day, and we are so proud of him. I had been talking about baptism with him throughout the week, and when Sunday came around and he got all decked out in his little white suit, he knew the day was going to be special.

Under more typical circumstances, we likely would have had C baptized a little sooner, but being transplants to the area, it took us some time to find a church we felt was the right fit for our family.  For us, the choice came down to the simple fact that there is a strong membership of younger families and many children who attend our church, along with a relatively active church community with opportunities to get more involved if we so choose. There is no right or wrong age for a person to be baptized, and after attending the required baptism class  earlier this winter, we had C's special day put on the calendar.

The morning service started just as C would have otherwise been clamoring for a nap. Luckily, we had opted for the 'kids' service for his Baptism, and there were many many kids in attendance, so the little bit of fussing he did do was hardly an issue. More than anything, C enjoyed watching all of the other kiddos as they stood up to speak, sing, and sit in the pews next to us. Distraction from no napping at its finest!

One of our favorite traditions at church happens during baptisms when the pastor invites all kids in attendance to come up and watch. It gives them a chance to be part of the experience since they likely don't remember their own baptisms. Because of it being a cherub choir day, there were many many kids who wanted in on the action. C, of course, took it all in stride, and was perfectly content being the center of attention. I expected nothing less out of our little guy!

Another particular favorite moment - the 'Simba'. After being baptized, our pastor lifted C up above his head and walked up and down the central aisle of the sanctuary. He even popped him into an older woman's arms for a moment in celebration. I happen to know he pumps the iron at the gym, so the fact that C is a bit of a load didn't deter him. When he passed him back, he said 'he's a heavy little guy isn't he!?'. I dare you to take me on in an arm wrestle! C, of course, thought this was all pretty neat, and thoroughly enjoyed all eyes on him...and perhaps more importantly, his eyes on everyone else. Perfect vantage point for the people watching he can't get enough of.

Lord,

We bring this miracle to you so fresh from heaven and ask that you would hear our prayers 

and share our joy this day. Pour your Holy Spirit into this tiny heart and wrap your loving arms

 around this special child. May your grace freely shine into this precious life, 

and in all the days ahead let this heart rejoice in living as your own forgiven child.

Here we are with C's godparents/sponsors Aunt H and Uncle T. Most of the rest of our family was also able to make the trip to join in celebrating C's special day. Such a lucky little guy!

The Lord watches over you -

The Lord is the shade at your right hand;

the sun will not harm you by day,

nor the moon by night.

The Lord will keep you from all harm -

He will watch over your life;

The Lord will watch over your coming and going

both now and forevermore.

Psalm 121:5-8

After the church service, everyone reconvened back at our place for a little celebration party to commemorate the Baptism. I had lots of fun planning and getting everything ready for what was technically the first 'planned party' that we have held at our home since moving in. Can't think of a better occasion for celebrating! We dined on lemony chicken & orzo soup, kettle chips, grapes, and a party platter of subs from Jimmy Johns before diving into the most delicious champagne cake for dessert.

An Irish Blessing

May the road rise up to meet you,

May the wind always be at your back,

May the sun shine warm upon your face,

and the rains fall soft upon your fields.

And until we meet again,

May God hold you in the palm of his hand.

Suit // Socks // Shoes

PARTY SOURCES:

Dishes & Serving Pieces // Glassware // Table Runner // Chargers // Drink Dispenser // Banner - Homemade // Glass Cross // Frame // Baptism Saying - Homemade // Flowers - HyVee Floral // Champagne Cake - HyVee Bakery // Baptism Invites/Favor Tags // Favor Bags

One more 'Simba' just for good measure.

God Bless This Child

May the Lord give His angels wings to watch over you and guide you in all your ways.

Psalms 91:11