9 Months Old

Happy 9 months, sweet Kyndall!!  Another month has passed and many more memories have been made.  This month has proven to be one of your most exciting yet, in that you have started doing lots of new "tricks" that we love!  It seems to me that in the last month, you have truly gone from a baby to a little girl.  Your personality is more evident than ever and you seem to be more aware of things.  You have your definite likes and dislikes and you seem to be getting smarter by the day.  I don't really know how to explain it other than to say that you've become your own little person in the last few weeks. 

Today you had your 9 month check-up with Dr. Traynham.  Here are your stats as of today, June 20th 2011:

Weight:  16 pounds 13 oz (20th percentile, finally!!)
Height:  27 and 3/4 inches (average)
Head:  17 inches

You had a good check up and the doctor is very pleased with you!  This always makes Mommy feel really good!  No shots today, thank goodness.  Your next appointment isn't until after your first birthday----hard to believe!!!

A few pictures from your check up today:

And here's what you've been up to lately.....

*I've started trying to get you used to drinking out of a sippy cup, and you seem to do great with it!  I'm not planning to ditch the bottle anytime soon, but I do love giving you juice and water in your cup every now and then. 

*You've tried a few table foods and so far, everything seems to agree with you.  Let's see....you've had cheese grits, baby puffs, cheerios, and a few fresh fruits---blueberries, strawberries, mandarin oranges, and who could forget your love of lemons!  I'm still baffled by that one!

*At random times, you love to shake your head "no" and then giggle about it.  It's the silliest thing, but we love it!  You shake your little head as hard as you can back and forth and then look at us to make sure we saw you.  When we start laughing, so do you!  I'm pretty sure you have no idea what you're actually doing, and just enjoy the feeling of dizziness that you get from shaking your head that hard!  Silly baby!

*You still love to babble "Da Da", but you have yet to say "Ma Ma"!  I'm working on that!

*We call you our little monkey because you love to use your feet as much as you use your hands!  If you see a toy that's out of reach, you'll use your foot to bring it closer to yourself, and then grab it with your toes!  You're perfectly capable of using your hands, but for some strange reason you prefer to use your feet!

*You are a non-stop dancing MACHINE!  Anytime you hear music---whether it be on TV, on the radio, in a restaurant, or even us singing to you, you immediately start dancing.  It's my favorite new "trick" of yours and I'm really hoping it means one of two things.  Either you'll be musically inclined (unlike your Mama), or you'll take up an interest in dance (like your Mama).  I also think it means you'll be pretty smart, since nobody actually taught you this trick.  You just learned on your own to associate music with dancing.  Pretty impressive for a 9 month old!

*You're a typical girl in that you notice and LOVE anything shiny or sparkly.  Be it rings, watches, necklaces, earrings, or even Mommy's sparkly nail polish.  You love admiring these things, and immediately attempt to grab them.  Today a perfect stranger came up to us in a restaurant to compliment you on your pretty hairbow and you went right for her pretty sparkly bracelet.  She was so goo-goo over you that I think she would have taken it off and given it to you if you had asked! 

*You are still drinking 4 bottles a day, for a total of about 26 ounces of formula each day.  In between your bottles you have lunch and dinner.  Lunch is usually a jar of fruit and dinner is a jar of veggies.  You still sleep through breakfast, so no need for that!

*You are sleeping just as well as you always have, and I'm proud to say it's WITHOUT the swaddle!!  Yay!!!  Mommy finally broke down and weaned you from it.  You now sleep in a sleep sack, which is basically like a blanket with arm holes.  You continue to be a wonderful sleeper, just like you've always been.

*A few other helpful tricks that you've picked up lately are putting your paci back in your mouth on your own, and holding your own bottles and sippy cups.  Both are VERY helpful!

*We've started putting you in the grocery cart and in high chairs, rather than carrying you into stores and restaurants in your carseat.  You really like looking around at everyone and sitting up like a big girl.

*You are CRAZY about Veggie Tales DVDs!  You recognize the theme song as soon as it comes on and begin smiling and squealing with delight.  Mommy would like to personally thank Bob the Tomato and Larry the Cucumber for occupying you when I need a few minutes to myself.  If it weren't for Larry and Bob, I might never be able to take showers, make phone calls, or walk out to check the mail. 

*Aside from Larry and Bob, your other favorite form of entertainment is Skyping.  Almost nightly, we Skype with the Grandparents and you really seem to enjoy it.  I think it's cute that as soon as we place the laptop down in front of you, you anxiously begin starring at the screen, anticipating the appearance of a familiar face.  So sweet!

*You've recently become very attached to Mommy.  As much as I love the fact that you enjoy my company more than anyone else's, I don't think it makes Daddy feel very good.  =/ 

*You're wearing a size 2 diaper, a size 3 shoe, and 6-9 month clothing. 

*You really like bath time and pool time, and anything else involving water.

*You have hundreds of toys, but your favorite thing to play with is Mommy's cell phone.  We even tried giving you your own (an old one that we no longer use) but somehow you seem to know the difference! 

*You laugh and giggle all the time!  It doesn't take much to get a big ole belly laugh out of you and we just love it!  Hearing your sweet giggles is music to our ears and we can't get enough.  You wouldn't believe some of the goofy things me and your Daddy have done in an attempt to get a good laugh out of you!

*You had your first runny nose last week.  I don't think you were truly sick, because you never ran a fever or acted sickly, but you were definitely stuffy.  I chalked it up to teething and remedied it with a humidifier, saline solution and Vicks baby chest rub.  You were good as new in just a few days!  We've kept you well for 9 months, so I'm pretty proud of that!  You've never had a fever, an ear infection or a cold. Here's hoping this trend continues!

*Still no teeth!!

*Your hair is getting lighter in color by the day.  You've gone from dark brown to pretty a shade of blonde.  Your eyes are still as blue as any I have ever seen and you are constantly complimented on them.

*In the past month you attended your first family reunion, made your first trip to the beach, and celebrated Daddy's first Father's Day! 

As I say in every update, we love you more than you could ever know and we are truly enjoying watching you grow and change.  We love seeing the world through your eyes and watching you light up with excitement at every new experience.  You are such a happy baby and you have made my job as a Mommy so easy and fun!  You're my best little buddy and I love sharing every single day with you!!!

Here are your 9 month pictures.  You didn't give Mommy many smiles today, perhaps because you were tired from your appointment.  Oh well, you still look cute to me! =)