Monday, May 8, 2017

Graham: Nine Month Update

I'm playing a little catch up today with G's nine month update, as we were in Florida on the official day, and near three weeks later, we are still trying to get our lives back in order. I mean, I finally just convinced T to unpack his luggage this weekend...womp womp! So...it really should surprise no one that this update is a bit behind schedule. G had his nine month checkup last week (no shots this time! Woot woot!), and he is right on track. He's not off the charts size-wise like his big brother C is and was at this age, but he's holding his own coming in at a SOLID 21 lbs 2 oz (69%) and 29.5 inches (75%). This little guy has seen many developments this month, and has become quite the little personality. He's on the move, and loves to put ALL the things in his mouth, so we have been SUPER busy just trying to keep him alive. Did I mention that his big brother is fascinated with sitting on him and practicing 'tackling'? I mean I know the kid loves his football, but at this rate, G may be lucky to make it to next season!



THE STATS:
Age: 9 months
Height: 29.5 inches
Weight: 22 lbs 2 oz
Diaper size: 4
Clothing: 18 months, 24 months in rompers - LONG TORSO!







DEVELOPMENTAL ACTIVITY:
This month has been a big one for G! He has firmly established his own version of the army crawl,  preferring to pull his entire weight with just his left arm, and officially probably has the strongest left hook around! He continues to get up on his hands and knees to rock, but has only taken a few 'steps' this way. He has not yet figured out how to push into a sit, but he is oh so close!


SCHEDULE:
Our schedule has stayed pretty consistent this month, and G continues to wake around 8 am, nap around 9:30-11:30 am,  nap again around 1:30-2:30 pm, and bedtime around 7 pm. See cuisine below for a more in depth look at his feeding schedule.






FAVORITE TOY:
G has been loving balls this month. He mostly thinks its fun to bat it away and then chase after it with his army crawling. Beach balls and balls that are waaaaay to big for him to reasonably hold seem to be even more exciting. In addition, G has also been loving his activity cube. He's even tried to pull himself up on it a few times, but as it's not a heavy toy meant for this purpose, he ends up pulling it over on himself, and has since backed off a bit on pulling up on furniture. Honestly, we have been on the go so much this month that G has kind of just been stuck with whatever random teethers or handheld toys I've remembered to stick in the diaper bag. Better luck next month!

STORYTIME:
G has really taken an interest in reading this month, and I've decided it's time to start establishing a bedtime/naptime routine of reading a story before laying down. The favorite book this month is probably 'Dream Animals' which G was excited to receive in his Easter basket. It is a beautiful whimsical story of children's dreams. Highly recommend, especially if you're looking for something a bit out of the ordinary. I bought the set with 'Day Dreamers' as well, and while we haven't read it much yet, it looks like it will be equally adorable.




CUISINE:
G got his first tooth this month, and has since decided that he LOVES solid food. He starts his day around 8 am with a 6-8 oz bottle of formula, then typically gets oatmeal and a fruit in the morning before his 9:30 am nap time. After nap time, he'll have another 6-8 oz bottle around 11:30ish, plays for a while, has another nap about 1:30 pm, then enjoys another 6-8 oz bottle around 3:30ish. Sometimes, during the afternoon, he enjoys a light snack of Cheerios or teething wafers. Around 5:30 pm, hunger strikes, and he has 1-2 pouches of solid food depending how hungry he is. He has been known on occasion to throw back three servings of solid food at dinner time if it's been a super busy day! Before bed, around 6:45-7 pm, he is offered another bottle, and will usually take about 6 oz depending how much he filled up at dinner. I think he's been making up for lost time since he wasn't too sure about solid food at the start!




NINE MONTH FAVORITES

Mirrors
Chewing on everything
Being tickled
Army crawling through tight spaces
Giving open-mouthed sloppy wet baby kisses
Big Brother C
Sucking on toes - his own or mom's
Pat-A-Cake
Walker




NINE MONTH LEAST FAVORITES

Having to wait for food
Having to wait for nap/bedtime
Not being picked up
Not a HUGE fan of green veggies

OH THE MEMORIES:



G got his first tooth this month! Woot woot! It seems like we've been patiently waiting for about half of the month for the second one to pop through, but so far, no sign. To celebrate, he got his first taste of Cheerios, and there's been no looking back since! Many people choose the puff route, but after reading some rather disturbing articles this winter about kids choking on them (they are only edible for 7 days after opening the container before the dissolving ability goes away), I decided to forgo puffs and head straight to the tried and true Cheerios. I did forget to bring them along a few times, and G got his first taste of Goldfish which he had no problem devouring.







We've finally been able to get back outside to play on a more regular basis this month, and G has been loving it. He got to go on his first swing ride, and he just laughs and laughs and laughs. We also went for a 'hike' through the woods one weekend, and G got to ride along in the baby carrier. He loved looking at all of the trees and being out in nature. So much to see and learn!



On a trip back to my hometown, the boys got to visit Gpa T at John Deere, and fun was had by all driving every gator, mower, and tractor they could climb onto!



The Easter bunny came to visit just before we left on vacation, and G had so much fun exploring his Easter basket. He snagged some new clothes for vacation, a couple of books, and a new toy, but his favorite might have been the wire basket I had it all displayed in. It is now being used for his special toy basket, and he loves to stick his fingers through, try to take a bite out of it, and tip it over to dump out his toys.







We traveled to Florida this month, and G got his first taste of Disney World! He was mostly along for the ride since he's a bit young to be able to remember the trip, but since Disney is free for kiddos under 3, we figured there was no time like the present since C will turn three in a couple of weeks (how did this happen!?!). G enjoyed tagging along, and particularly loved The Lion King show which was a mix of dancing, live music, and acrobats. He was sitting on our laps kicking his little legs just about as fast as they would go the entire show! They boys also got their first experience with a live symphony orchestra in Disney Springs, and both were absolutely in a trance listening. G is going to do Kindermusik in June, and I think he'll love it! After our trip to Disney, we headed to the beach, and G was fascinated with the ocean, waves, and sand. I'd be lying if I said he didn't sneak a few handfuls in! He also got to see some dolphins up close when they were swimming about 10 feet from our boat in the Gulf. So much fun, and so many more memories! Stay tuned for more on our trip!



More than anything, I've been trying to soak in every little snuggle I can this month. Now that G is on the move, snuggling has become a thing of the past since he doesn't like to sit still for more than the length of time it takes him to have a bottle. Luckily, he is a pretty happy baby, and as long as he has someone's attention and isn't being left out of the fun, he is full of laughter, smiles, and sloppy wet kisses. Oh little G, we love you so!

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Thanks for visiting! Let me know if you have any suggestions of recipes I should try, fun ideas to do with the kiddo, or a suggested adventure to add to our bucket list!