Nine Months Old!

**I have no clue why the spacing and font is so off on this post.  I have tried to fix it 12 times...Blogger is being weird!**


Blakely turned nine months old on July 13th!  Of course I am a bit late but it just wouldn’t be right if I actually got the post up on time :)

This is how she felt about getting her picture taken this month...

This has been a pretty crazy month.  I think it has been the hardest month on me and Lonnie so far.  But for Blakely it has been a great month of discovery and fun!  

Firsts this month:

First time spending the night at Nana Bob’s house.


First time playing with bubbles..she giggled every time!

Blakely cruised for the first time on 7-2-12.  She is getting better at it everyday.  She will cruise the length of our coffee table and she will also go from the table to the couch.  I just got used to her crawling...I am not ready for walking!

First 4th of July


She has learned how to give fist bumps/high fives.

First time wearing her Ni.ke Sh.ox from Aunt Sarah!

First time sleeping with the bumper in her crib.  She kept getting her legs stuck and it would wake her up.  I thought this was our sleep problem so I put the bumper in.  It didn't make any difference...she still didn't want to sleep!  I found her like this the first day it was in.  

First time taking a bath outside!

Feeding:  Blakely has eaten many new things this month.  Over the past week or so I have started just giving her what we are eating for dinner.  For example, I made a roast with potatoes and carrots the other night so we just gave her some of that.  Or Lonnie made a southwest chicken salad so we gave her some of the corn, black beans, and avocado from the salad.  I was really looking forward to doing this because we can now have family dinners all together.  It is important to me that she eats what we eat for dinner when she is older.  I certainly don’t want to be making dinner for Lonnie and I and then making something else for her!  She still gets some purees but it is getting to the point where she wants to feed herself most of the time.  She usually gets cereal with a fruit (usually pears or blueberries) for breakfast.  Lunch has been the hardest thing for me to figure out what to give her.  Sometimes she will have a little pasta with a veggie or some cottage cheese with a veggie.  Then dinner she will eat what we eat (unless it is pizza!) or leftovers from dinner the night before.  I think her favorite food right now is cottage cheese...she loves that stuff!  I love it too because she can feed herself the chunks for I can mix it with anything and she can eat it from the spoon.  

We are still breastfeeding.  I have her down to about 5 feedings a day.  We went down to five when she started eating 3 regular meals a day.  I have weaning on my mind.  I am going to continue to nurse her until 12 months but I am researching how the heck to wean.  I mean I have no clue how to do it.  I know you cut out feedings but I just don’t know which ones or how much she needs to be getting even if I am cutting them out.

Sleeping: What can I say?  Sleeping is pretty awful.  After 8 monthly posts about how great she was sleeping I totally deserved to have this one about horrid sleep...I know...kicking myself.  I really don't even want to talk about the sleep situation but for documentation sake...here goes.  She started waking up multiple times at night screaming when she hit 8 months old.  The hardest part is that is isn't just a whine it is full blown hysterics.  She was doing this 6ish times a night but now we are down to about 2-3.  Progress.  I am reading a ton about baby sleep so hopefully her 10 month post will be all about my awesome sleeper ;)

See...this is what happens in the crib ;)

We did A LOT of this this month.  The best part about the bad sleep?  She has become a total snuggle baby.

  

I am so thankful that Lonnie has been helping me this month in the middle of the night.  When she was a newborn and waking up every 2 hours to eat he never got up with me (except that first week...he got up every.single.time that first week).  There was nothing for him to do.  I would feed her, change her, and then pump.  He slept upstairs and we slept downstairs.  When she started sleeping 9-11 hours at night when she was about 8 weeks old, we moved back in together.  But since this sleep regression he has been AWESOME.  Like I don't know what I wold have done without him.  He went in and rocked her so many times.  I am so thankful for him!  He has also kept me sane recently :)

Clothes:  She is wearing 9 month clothes.  She can wear some 12 month stuff...depending on the brand.  


Diapers:  Still doing the cloth diapers....I NEED to stop buying them!  We do cloth about 50% at night now.  I don't do it every night because I only have 2 night diapers.  So if I don't wash them early in the morning then they aren't dry by bedtime (I don't put them in the dryer).  I still have quite a few disposables that I need to use anyway before she outgrows them.  


Hair:  Her hair is getting so much thicker and longer.  It is starting to go over her ears a little bit.  I wonder if she is going to have any curls.  I mean my hair is naturally INSANELY curly and Lonnie has curly hair as well....how could she have straight hair??  But so far it is completely straight.  


Eyes:  totally blue...


Weight:  18lb 10oz


Height:  I forgot what they said at the doctor so I will have to update when I find out!


Doctor Appointment:  Blakely had her 9 month check up this morning.  He said she was perfect!  She is right in the 50th percentile for height and weight.  He definitely answered some of my questions about weaning and giving her whole milk.  She had to get some blood drawn to check for anemia and she didn't even cry!  She just kept trying to grab the little thing the blood was in.  Her next appointment is when she turns a year old...WHOA

What's this?

Oh I can eat it!

Quick smile because Daddy walked in..

Off I go!

A few other things:


Now that Blakely is very mobile, she has discovered lots of new things in our house.  She loves playing in her closet.  

But I think her favorite room is the dining room.  We chase each other around the big table and all the chairs.  She LOVES it...lots of giggles when we do that.  

Blakely is in.to.every.thing.  I mean everything.  I can't take my eyes off of her for a second.  She gets into the cabinet in the entertainment center and pulls everything out...in about 1.5 seconds! 

It has been SUPER hot here lately so we have been spending most of our time inside.  This gets old.  I bought a pool and we have been hanging out in that outside some.  I got one big enough for me to get in as well!

I love how she has a crooked smile.  When she smiles really big her jaw tilts to the right and it is so very cute!  She also looks just like her daddy when she smiles really big...her eyes get really squinty.  


For the first time, I have had a few people tell me Blakely is starting to look like me this month!  Since the day she was born everyone has said she looks like Lonnie...this stressed him out LOL!  Maybe she will look like me after all ;)


When she gets really excited she tenses up her whole body really quick.  For example, if she is trying to squeeze one of her duckies to make it squeak.  She squeezes her hand around it but tenses up her whole body and not just her hand....way adorable!  

Pea Pod,
What a wonderful month you have had sweetheart!  You love exploring the world around you and getting into new things everyday.  I love watching the world through your eyes.  I know it will only get better but I can't imagine life being any better than it is right now!  I have already started planning you big first birthday party.  It is going to be so much fun!  I know you won't remember it but there will be plenty of pictures.  Daddy asked me if we needed to even have a party for you.  I told him he was crazy if he thought our girl wasn't getting a party.  He will learn ;)  Happy 9 months baby girl!  Your Daddy and I love you so very much.  


Love, Mommy

memorable moment monday

If you follow me on Ins.tagram then you have already seen this photo.  But here is my memorable moment.  How in the WORLD does she sleep like this?  I mean she is literally folded in half.  

Crazy girl.....

I need sleep in a serious way...

I'm pretty much losing my mind over here.  


Blakely just won't sleep anymore.  I am totally kicking myself for ever even muttering the words "I have a great sleeper"...UGH!  


This all started when she turned 8 months old (about a month ago).  She also began pulling up and crawling then as well.  I figured it was just a phase but now I think it has become a habit.  


She goes to bed at 9...every.single.night.  She usually goes down great.  But she will wake up multiple times in the middle of the night.  She has always been really good at putting herself back to sleep but not now.  She wakes up hysterically crying...and I mean hysterical.  If it was just a fussy/whiny cry I wouldn't even go in her room.  


When it first started she would go back to sleep on my (or Lonnie's) shoulder pretty quickly and then we would put her back in her crib. Gradually it has gotten worse.  Sometimes she will go right back to sleep and others she screams until I give her the boob.  I try not to feed her in the middle of the night but sometimes I am just desperate for sleep.


When she does wake up in the night she is so so so sleepy.  She is just fighting it hard!  


I am not sure what to do.  I've tried just going in and reassuring her.  I've tried letting her sleep with her lovie.  I've tried feeding her more during the day.  I've tried feeding her less.  I've tried putting her to bed earlier.  I've tried to give her more naps.  I've tried giving her less nap time.


She has been napping much better this past week.  An hour to and hour and a half in the morning and in the afternoon.  That seems to maybe be helping.  And by helping I mean she is waking up 3-4 times a night instead of 6-7.


I just downloaded like 3 books on Lonnie's iP.ad.  I just need some ideas on what is going on and what I can do to help her sleep better.  I've never had to deal with this with her before.  She always put herself to sleep and slept through the night..since she was 8 weeks old.  


I wonder if she could be having like nightmares or something?  Or could it be like a form of separation anxiety?


I don't know if I can let her "cry it out" but I'm getting pretty desperate and so is Lonnie.  He is very helpful in the middle of the night.  But, he has a very demanding, high stress job.  He needs his sleep big time.  I feel terrible when he tries to put her back to sleep and it takes an hour.  Sometimes it only takes 10-15 minutes but not always.   


This is so much harder than the newborn stage....


Sorry for the ramblings...I just needed to vent!  Any suggestions are welcome!  


I'm going to have a glass of wine....yes, at 3 o'clock in the afternoon....

TVT

I feel like I haven't done a Thought Vomit Thursday in a while so HERE YOU ARE :)

• I miss my good sleeper.  Like in a serious way.  This month has been harder than any other month.  At least when she was a newborn I KNEW I would be getting up every 2-3 hours.  Not to mention I was still high from just having had a baby.  Now?  I am desperate for some sleep.  I am a zombie during the day and feel totally worthless...

• Lonnie's brother, his wife, and their two kids are coming to stay for the weekend.  I am super excited to see them but I can't quite get the motivation to clean my house.  Normally when they come I have everything all perfect for them and this time there is dog pee in their closet.  I don't care.  Also, I have no food whatsoever.  But mother in law to the rescue.  She is going to the store tomorrow for me.  Love her like whoa.  We will probably spend the whole weekend in the lake or on the boat.  That sounds amazing.  The last time they were here was when Blakely had salmonella...yuck.  So hopefully this time I will actually get to enjoy their company.  

• My sister in law thinks cloth diapers are completely disgusting and can't believe I am doing it.  She also made comments last time about me still breastfeeding and making Blakely's baby food.  I was totally caught off guard and couldn't believe it.  I am hoping this time to stand up for myself more and explain our choices a little better.  Oh, and I'll totally be doing diaper laundry while she is here :)

• I am so excited for the Olympi.cs.  Like a 12 year old at a Jus.tin Beib.er concert excited.  Four years ago Lonnie and I bought our awesome flat screen tv just because the Olymp.ics were coming on.  He loves them just as much as me.  I got a text just the other day from him that said this.   I AM OFF THE FIRST WEEK OF THE OLYMPI.CS!!!!!!!!!!  Now, if you knew my husband you would understand the excitement.  First of all he never uses all caps and wants to punch people who do.  Secondly, he never duplicates an exclamation mark.  Total excitement up in here.

• Do you watch Big Br.other?  Well, if you do, it starts tonight.  I highly recommend this as the very best in mindless tv entertainment.  Four previous house guests are returning.  PUMPED.  My vote is for Janelle...please oh please be Janelle.  She was awesome.  Or Dr. Wil.l.  I loved him too.  Lonnie always says he won't watch this show with me but he always ends up watching.  He will for sure watch if Dr. Wil.l is on it, he is a little gay for him.    

• I swear I am working on a post about the shaved ice stand that we bought.  I know you're on pins a needles.

• Ok, I gotta go clean up dog pee out of the closet.  Totally unacceptable to leave it there right?  Have I mentioned that I despise my dogs?  Free to a good home....

The 4th + a great weekend

I thought I should share some pics of the holiday with y'all.  We didn't really do anything all that special.  Lonnie and I actually got no sleep the night before so we took turns taking a nap during the day...glory.

That evening we went to a get together at a friends house.  It was great fun but super hot.  Blakely had a great time playing with someone else's toys.  Apparently I need to buy her some maracas....she loved those!  She was a hit with everyone.  She smiled the whole time and just kept us all entertained.  There was supposed to be a fireworks show but we had to cancel that part of the party.  It has been so dry and we are under a burn ban so they banned all use of fireworks.  Boo...

This was actually the day before.  She, of course, had multiple outfits for the occasion so she wore red, white, and blue for days.  

Teeth!

This were on the actual 4th.  I forgot to take any pics at the actual party.  Something about zillions of kids running around trying to play with my child made me forget all about pictures!  

She loves to chew on her shoe!

 YAY!

This is her "I am so over pictures" look...

On Friday, we went to my mother in law's house about an hour away.  She has a fantastic pool and we love to just go hang out there.  She has a room set up just for Blakely...so sweet :)  We played at the pool all Friday afternoon. 

Friday night Bob (MIL) had plans to go to the theater with some friends.  Lonnie, B and I just hung out.

She was a little unsure about the hardwood floors...

Not for long though...

She explored Nana Bob's whole house and pulled up on everything she could find.  We could not take our eyes off of her for one second!

Yes, I know.  Cutest diaper ever...

I wanna go back outside!

On Saturday morning we had really great intentions to go to the F.armers M.arket.  But we didn't.  Lonnie and I didn't feel all that great...maybe a little hungover?  We were also up most of the night because B sleeps terrible.  So we lounged most of the day and Bob watched B while we napped.  

We also did a little napping like this....She is SUCH a snuggle bug these days!

We were supposed to go to my friend's 30th birthday party but we didn't make it.  We still didn't feel all that great and just wanted to lounge around the house with Blakely.  Bob made us her wonderful chicken soup...yums!

That evening we went swimming.  Blakely LOVED that.  NO sunscreen, bathing suit or shades??  YAY!  

That wore her out pretty good so then we all went to bed.  Once again, she didn't sleep great and then decided to be UPFORTHEDAY at 6 am...joy.  Blake and I let everyone else sleep in and we played in Collier and Syble's room with all of their fun toys.  

We did a little shopping for luggage and then had lunch before we left town.  We ate at a place called S.tar of Ind.ia and I can't even tell you how yummy it was.  I heart Indian food...

We were all happy to be home and enjoy our Sunday night together.  Blakely even broke out the beer...  :)

Blake on the lake 2

We've gone out on the boat a few more times recently.  This week it is just too dang hot to even go outside!  100 + every.single.day.  UGH!  Anyway, I thought I would share a few pics of Blake on the lake!  

These were taken right when she was getting over being sick.  We parked in a little cove very close to our house.  And, yes, we did take her life jacket off.  Don't freak out.  We were close to the shore and out of the way of any boats.  

Pretty girl...she just wanted to lay down at first.  

Can we talk about how cute this swim suit is???

Hey mom...I don't smile because my tummy hurts

Yummy toes...

Mama was TIRED

 After a bit she started feeling more like herself.  She wanted to sit up and play around.  I knew she was feeling better then :)

We went out again a few days later.  She was feeling back to her normal smiley self that day.  We went cruising around for a bit and she loved the wind in her hair!  

Hopefully we can get out some more soon.  We definitely won't be going out tomorrow because everyone else will be.  I hate being on the boat when there are hundreds of other boats out too!  But maybe next week.  And maybe we will get in the water :)

Happy Tuesday!

Memorable Moment Monday

I am linking up with PAIL bloggers today for Memorable Moment Monday.  I actually have two pictures to share because I couldn't decide on just one.  


The first is from last night.  Blakely has been sleeping terribly for about three weeks now.  She wakes up multiple times a night and she is almost inconsolable.  It hasn't been very fun.  But there is a huge upside to this.  She has become a total snuggle bug!  She wants to fall asleep with us holding her.  She will nap so good like this.  We have to very carefully place her in the crib without waking her.  I do love her snuggles so I am just enjoying them while they last.  I do hope to get my great sleeper back soon though.  Lonnie has been a huge help through the sleeping troubles.  He  rocked her to sleep last night and I took this picture.  It just absolutely melts my heart....

This photo is from this morning.  My grandfather who we call Oompie (don't ask...long story) has been bringing my cousin over to see Blakely about once a week.  You have to know Oompie to understand him.  I could write an entire post about him but I won't bore you with that.  He's a very interesting dude.  Long story short he's a busy guy...ya know, he has girlfriends, and places to be.  So he doesn't really do babies.  But since he's been coming around recently he is definitely starting to enjoy my little Blakers.  He even wanted to hold her today...GASP!  I think he looks forward to our little visits.  She even cruised around the coffee table for the first time while they were here today...he was impressed!

Happy Monday!