Keeping Up WIth the Smiths: Chapman is NINE Months Old!

It has been such a big month for you! We went to your nine month doctor appointment and you're growing perfectly. We are so thankful that you are healthy and right on track. You are 19 pounds 11ounces {50th percentile} and 29 inches long {75th percentile}. You've gained 11 lbs. 10 oz. since you were born and grown 8 1/4 inches--so crazy.

Your sleep pattern hasn't changed much. You go to bed by 7:00pm most nights and rise at 6:30am on the dot. I sure wish you would sleep for just 30 more minutes! You still take two naps a day--one at 9:30 and one in the afternoon around 2:30. You've learned how to sit up from a lying down position, so it usually takes you a few minutes of sitting up and playing before you actually lay down and go to sleep. We also lowered your crib mattress a few weeks ago since you are trying to stand up.

Good morning!

I love watching you sleep.

Nothing exciting has happened in food-wise...you still get a bottle 4 times a day. You still get baby food for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. I read about baby-led weaning and got all excited that I was going to feed you table foods instead of baby food. Well, as it turns out, you DO NOT like table food yet. You make the worst face when I offer you table food. The only thing you will really eat is bananas. You gobble them up. You will also gnaw on a cheese stick, but other than that you freak out. The doctor assured me that it's normal and you will come around in due time. Until then, we will continue to offer you different foods and hopefully find some things you like! I almost forgot--you LOVE puffs. You would eat an entire container of them at once if we let you. You mainly eat them when we are out to eat; they keep you entertained the entire time. I also just introduced you to Gerber's lil' Crunchies and Yogurt Melts. You love the Crunchies, but you're not sure about the Yogurt Melts yet.

Ewwww!

Nothing has changed in the clothing department either. You're still in 9-12 month jammies and 12 month regular clothes. Diapers are still size 3, too.

Last time I checked in you were trying so hard to crawl, but couldn't quite figure out how to get going. Well, that's all changed! You took off crawling while we were at the beach last week. You are obsessed with mommy's cups, so that is what enticed you to finally crawl. Once we got back home you started crawling and exploring on your own. You don't go all around the house yet {thank the Lord}, but you will crawl all around whatever room we are in and see what you can get into. It's the cutest thing to me. You love to crawl to the books and to the storm door in the living room. You just sit at the door and look out. You have also just discovered the wine rack and electrical outlets. I pop your little hand and tell you "no" when you go near them and you just laugh...oh boy!

You figured out how to get the books out!

Sometimes Mommy goes and stands outside the storm door and you think it's so funny to crawl over and look at me!

You also like to get the books out in your room.

And play in your trashcan...

You're starting to try to pull up, and you love to hold on to things and stand up. Every time you crawl, you stop and try to stand up. I bet it won't be long before you will be standing on your own!

You also got your first tooth! Your right central incisor just popped through.Your left central incisor is under the gum and I'm guessing it will come through soon, too. You did not really have any of the "normal" teething symptoms. You had a runny nose for a few days and got a little fussy a few times {nothing a little Children's Motrin wouldn't fix}, but you didn't wake up screaming crying during the night or run a low grade fever or stop eating. I hope teething goes this smoothly the rest of the time!

It is impossible to change your diaper and dress you these days. Since you have figured out how to roll over and sit up all by yourself so you constantly try to get up when I'm getting you ready. You flip over as soon as I lay you down and then it's all over from there. I have tried changing you in the floor, but that is worse! You flip over and start crawling away.

You've added a new "word" to your vocabulary--when you are mad you say "na-na-na-na" over and over in an upset voice. You talk to us all the time. I wish I knew what you were saying!

And now for the picture overload...