9 months 5.20.13

"Rub Adub Dub my baby in the tub"...
That's what Daddy sings to me!
See how long my "do" is without curls!

This month has been filled with sickness for our house hold. April started off with mommy in the hospital for kidney stones, Tillman staying home for fever for a few days, Daddy not feeling well and missing work, and Caroline with the stomach bug for two weeks! Poor Caroline started off with a fever for a day, and then threw up for two weeks. As soon as we thought she was better, she would throw up again. She just started eating food again after 3 weeks. Her whole daycare room had the mess. She was sent home 3 times in two weeks. Poor thing lost 2 lbs during all of it, but she is on the mend and eating like crazy now!  

Watching big brother play in the water...
AND chewing on the side of the tub!

It is funny with the second child, we didn't rush to the doctor as we did with Tillman. We are learning (and saving money) what the doctor would say. Plus it is much easier to get a "sidewalk consult" with your nurse friends then to drag the whole family to the doctor. With a GI bug, what the doctor will say is as long as she has 3 wet diapers in a 24 hour period she is fine. If not, then they'd have to give her fluids and some anti-nausea medication. Caroline had the 3 wet diapers, so we were good to go!  Her poor bottom was blistered from all of the bug effects too.

Curly after bath time!

After getting better, she is eating 3 food meals a day. She had yogurt for the first time last night and loved it!  Another great thing, she doesn't seem to mind green beans and squash anymore! She is also enjoying puffs!  Her hand to mouth coordination is improving, so she can pound those back while I get her meal prepared. She'd love to help with the spoon.  Caroline seems to be a "do it myself" type girl, so I'm sure it won't be long until she will want to feed herself (oh, the mess to come!).

Riding in daddy's truck

Caroline's sleep patterns have changed as well. She used to sleep through the night, but since the GI bug was keeping her up at night, she now wakes up around 2A or 3A. This makes for one tired momma!  This little girl knows how to stand up in her crib. She has even knocked the monitor off the side of the crib and pulls on the mobile. It is time to lower the mattress, as it won't be long until she is toppling out of it!  She can really work herself up in a "tizzy" if you don't get to her fast during those nightly wake ups.  I attempted to let her cry it out last night, but she wasn't having it. After about an hour, I went up to get her. Well she had a bad diaper, and her poor bottom was all red.  Don't you know that made this mommy feel really bad!  

This is the "I'm not tired look" and it is 9PM!

Speaking of sleeping, she also is tuning into a night owl. She used to be ready for bed around 8, and now she  feeds and isn't going right to sleep. She has been staying up until 9:30. We've got to work on her sleep schedule. It is crazy how wide awake she is at that hour.  She really doesn't take many naps during the day, so she must just be her daddy's child with not requiring that much sleep.  That may be good for her, but her mommy needs lots of sleep, and she is wearing me out!

Fam Jam in Marion Square

Caroline continues to be our "easy going" child. She is often just a long for the ride. She will generally go to anybody that will hold her. Over the weekend, we were at a family function (=mommy break time) and all of her cousins and aunts were holding her. Everyone commented on how content she was. She didn't cry or get scared by not seeing a familiar face. Also at daycare drop off she will generally crawl right in the room and begin playing. One day I had to take Tillman to the doctor, so I popped in to her room to say "hi" to her. She came over and loved on me. When it was time to go, I put her down and she crawled right back to the carpet and began playing again.

Sick day for Daddy and Caroline

Our crawler continues to get into Graham water every chance she gets, but recently she has been making her way into the bathroom and heading straight for the toilet. I've caught her playing in it numerous times. She is always on a mission to some place to make a mess or to a "danger" spot AKA steps!  She is very good with getting up steps, but going down is a challenge and someone certainly needs to be near.  She has made it up 3 steps on the stair case, and lost her footing and fell.  She has also crawled to our den steps (slate flooring) and has had a few close calls!  All of her crawling and pulling up has led to bruises on her knees, face and arms. 

Caroline and Cici during her morning nap!

Caroline is a walker in training. She loves to use the walk-behind toys to get around. She also love moving around on two feet if you hold her hands. She seems so proud of herself to be moving around, but if her eye catches something she wants fast, she drops to her knees and starts crawling to get it!  

As she is a walker in training, she is also a talker in training too!  She loves to say momma.  This is different than Tillman as he always said da da!  

Caroline's 9mo Stats

Teeth-3! She cut an upper tooth this month that she loves to grind with her two bottoms. When she eat her puffs she tries to line up her teeth to chew it...pretty cute!

Diapers-size 2

Clothing-6 months. Sleepers are no longer "ok" for daycare, as she gets all tangled in them, so we've been putting on more separates to make sure she has freedom to move!

Bow size-the bigger the better!

Shoes-not really wearing them since it warmed up, but I think 6-9 months.

Feedings-Mommy milk (morning and night), Similac during daycare, jar food (3 times), oatmeal, and puffs!