Farrah's Ten Month Update

Dear Farrah,
What a pretty 10 month old, you are.  You daddy said to you, "Gosh darn, you are beautiful - your nose, your lips, your eyes..."  We are infatuated with you.  Thank you for being you.  If I could have picked all that I thought would make the perfect baby, I still could not have picked one as perfect as you.  You may be stubborn, but your adorable smile makes it okay.  You have a temper, but we will direct it positively, because to be strong-willed and determined are great qualities.  Your laughter is refreshing and your hugs are like magic.  You are our masterpiece!

At Farrah's 9 month appointment, she was 26" (4th percentile), 16 lbs 6 oz (19%), and her head circumference was 43.5" (39%).  She is wearing size 3 diapers, and wears 9-12 and 12 month clothes.

Farrah's ninth month was my favorite this far.  I feel like so much happened this month, she has changed and learned so very much, and she is so much fun!  She learned to clap and point on request, she claps to patty-cake and she stretches her arms straight up when you ask her, "How big are you, Farrah?" as to say "SO big!"  She is such an imitator!  She clicks her tongue, fake coughs, laughs, sticks her tongue out...anything that you do, she'll do. 

She says: dada, mama, night night (nigh nigh), banana (nana), hi, and meow.  She attempts to say other things like moo (mmm), which she also says "mmmm" for food that tastes good, and other animal noises like quack and baa.  She's into one syllables right now (da, ma, hi...).

She is getting more affectionate!  She will hug my face or put her forehead to mine when I'm holding her, laying on the ground she'll tackle me with kisses, and she'll lay on our chest if we bring her to bed during the night.  She will lay her head on us or on the floor and say "awww."

We moved her to a convertible car seat and it has made a world of a difference. She rides much happier, and I'm looking forward to turning her forward facing.  She is always smiling when we open the back door of the vehicle to get her out. 

One of the cutest things she's been doing is shaking her head no when you say no.  She now has learned what it means, and will say no to things she doesn't want.  She likes to be chased when she's crawling, dancing around her bedroom, exploring, and now she loves to hold both your hands and take off walking!  She just doesn't have the balance to do it on her own yet. 

She is such a great eater, and is kind of over the puffs and yogurt drops, and more interested in all real foods.  She is starting to drink out of a sippy cup and is taking less breast milk from a bottle at daycare now.  For a couple weeks in a row, she would only take 2 oz from the bottle and then shake her head no and tighten her lips.

She enjoyed her very first St. Patrick's Day and Easter this month, she still loves opening and closing doors, playing with doorknobs, standing on her tippy toes when holding onto anything, and giving open mouth kisses upon request.  She also kissed her book the other day!  She likes to holler loudly, especially when Keane and I speak loudly across the house to one another.

She loves reading books, she waves when you say hi or bye, and is starting to say hi (heh) and bye.  She absolutely loves her crocheted lamb lovey and gets it from her crib.  When she finds a hair bow, she will put it up to her hair (so cute), and she put some shoes on top of her foot.  She is really into putting objects inside other objects and will contently do this for quite some time.

The joy of parenting is overwhelming.  I am realizing how much changes in our day to day lives with a baby.  I used to be able to go constantly, but now I am taking a lot more time to slow down and meet Farrah's needs (naps, baths, frequent feedings, early bedtimes), and I can't always join (doing things such as mushroom hunting).  Farrah does love the four wheeler though!  She leans toward it when she sees it, and contently rides as long as it's moving. 

She did come down with a case of Hand Foot Mouth Disease this month, and that was no fun.  She luckily didn't get too many blisters, and she didn't get any in her mouth which can cause the most pain.  She must have had a terrible sore throat though, because there were two days she refused to nurse for me.  She came down with a fever first, then the sore throat, and then the blisters remained for quite a few days.  We sure were glad when that was over!

Seriously, Farrah's ninth month was the best yet, and I know that it just keeps getting better and better!

(Meeting twin babies Baylor and Bryden)

(Farrah and Kinlee)

(Farrah and Adelyn)

(Snapchat Fun)

Farrah's Nine Month Update

Nine months!!! Oh darling, you are so much fun!  Your laugh is so adorable and your smile is beautiful.  You are so very proud of yourself and we are too.  You will pull up and stand every chance you get, and you are cruising right along.   You are pushing your walker and you giggle so loudly as you do.  When you run into an object and I have to turn you and the walker around, it excites you so much and you laugh and get on your tippy toes like it gives you butterflies.  You are now climbing up on the sides of your walker and this makes you beam with pride.  You know you are so big.  You make us think you're going to be a bit of a daredevil (which I like).

You seem to love going outside to see the dogs and feel the fresh air in your face.  You are uncertain as to the feel of the grass though.  You practically stay put if you are sitting on the grass.

You enjoy starting to crawl away from me down the hallway and you laugh so hard when I come crawling after you.  You rode on Daddy's back up and down the hallway as you held on tightly to his shirt and I held onto your back, and you laughed so, so hard when he sped up.  Seriously. it was the cutest thing I've ever heard to this day.

You say "dada" all the time, and it sounds like you are trying to say "hi," but it is elongated and sounds more like "eeeeee."  On February 20, you started saying both mama and dada, and that's the same day you started cruising, too!  But after we picked you up from daycare on that following Monday, you've only been saying dada ever since.

Babe, you are the world's worst car seat rider.  On this week's list is to choose a convertible car seat and get one ordered in hopes that you will enjoy riding in the car even if it's just a wee bit more.  You don't like to lay down to get dressed or get your diaper changed, and you hate having to lean back in the bath to get your hair rinsed.  That about sums up all the things you do not like.

You are clicking your tongue and have been sticking your tongue out of the corner of your mouth.  You usually take a pacifier only when you're going to sleep, but it's not a necessity.  Whenever you're close to falling asleep, you start humming to yourself and we know that you're about out!

The need for you to stay home alone with Daddy never occurred until I asked that he keep you while I went to pick up Kylie the other day.  I was sent the best picture ever, and you and Daddy enjoyed a four wheeler ride around the lake.  Daddy took a picture of you on the grass in a spot that he is looking forward to taking you fishing!

You are still nursing great!  You wake up around 4:30 a.m. to nurse, and then I nurse you again before we leave for work/daycare, or when you wake up again if we are staying home.  You nurse about every 3 hours throughout the day and we end each day by you nursing while I rock you to sleep.  When I'm at work, I pump three times throughout the day, and I pump again before I go to bed each night.  I always say that I will miss the breastfeeding but I won't miss the pumping.  The truth is, I will likely miss that too because I love supplying you with your needs and as inconvenient as the pumping is, it is all a part of doing this for you. 

You really go to sleep easily and sleep great.  Of course, there are days that your naps aren't as long as usual, but on those days, we just spend extra time with you!  You feed yourself pieces of foods we eat, but you are getting into the habit of shoveling food into your mouth.

I love your excitement.  You get excited when standing on the side of your walker or when you crawl into our bathroom for some reason.  When you get excited you breathe real heavy and quick and squeal and smile so big.  You have been clapping and lifting your arms up in the air - so precious!

(Listening to Daddy play the guitar and sing)

I Didn't Know

I didn't know if I would have a son or a daughter.

I didn't know what the sound of your voice would be like when you hollered from your crib.

I didn't know that some days you wouldn't nap unless I was holding you.

I didn't know you would love to play peekaboo with the curtains, to open and close doors and items, and be obsessed with our pets.

I didn't know how hard you would giggle when your daddy would tickle you under your chin.

I didn't know how your face would light up when you would see your siblings.

I didn't know how much you would absolutely hate every single car ride.

I didn't know how pink your laundry would be.

I didn't know how much I would miss you when we happen to be apart or after I would lay you down to sleep.

I didn't know how little I would miss all the sleep I used to get when it was replaced by seeing and holding you.

I didn't know you wouldn't be a big cuddler.

I didn't know how good you would smell after baths and how pretty your hair would look.

I didn't know how gorgeous you were going to be.

I didn't know you. But now I do.