Sushi Dinner

You did really great at dinner considering that it was nearing bedtime, and your 9 months old and into everything. We entertained you with chopsticks, napkins, menus, straws, edamamne, california roll, broccoli stalks, puffs, a cookie, and after dinner mints. When Aunt Erika and Uncle Andrew invited us out for dinner, I'm sure they didn't picture this, but what great sports they are! Even insisting we take you out for ice cream after we ate (and Aunt Erika shared her vanilla with you, sucking off all the jimmies first!)They always want to see you, always fighting over who is going to hold you and sit next to you. You love to flirt with Uncle Andrew, and smile every time you see him. So when it was time for your bottle, and you were just beginning to melt down, of course they offered to feed you. The booths at the restaurant were so tight that this honestly (believe it or not) was the best way to feed you. But having two people with no children feed you like this, only makes them look like they have no idea whats going on! You didn't mind one bit, and we all couldn't stop laughing! They both love you so much, and we always have the best time when the 5 of us are all together. It's so important to me that you are surrounded with extended family and always know how much you are loved by so many. Your Aunt Erika is as close to a sister to me as Aunt Mitzi is, and so many wonderful memories of my childhood include her. I'm so thankful that she loves you so much and wants to include you in her life. With Aunt Erika and Uncle Andrew getting married in another month, I'm hoping for your first little girl cousin to be on the way soon. Boy or girl and whenever it will be, it makes me excited to know that you will grow up together and share many amazing times together just like we did when we were kids.

Pizza Crust

These days you want nothing to do with baby food. You whine and reach out for anything and everything that Daddy and I are eating. I have finally given in and let you pretty much try anything within reason. You love broccoli, avocados, cheerios, cucumbers, noodles, peas, jelly, toast, pancakes, crab, rice....and your new favorite is pizza crust. Maybe it is because I always give you a big piece, only taking it away after its so soggy that it is falling apart. You sure do enjoy your food, lets hope it stays that way.

Your Stool

I had a wooden stool just like this when I was little. In fact, when I first moved into my first place with your Daddy, I brought my little wooden stool with me and we used it all the time. When I was pregnant, I said that I wanted a wooden stool just like mine for you. I was hoping someone would buy one for you, but Uncle Josh did something so much better than that. With Aunt Mitzi's suggestion, Uncle Josh did an amazing job and made you this wooden stool with a little birdie on it that matches your bedding. It was one of my most absolute favorite shower presents, and I'm so happy you will have it all your life. At 9 months old you are pulling yourself up on everything. And the other day I had you on the floor in your room, and you found your wooden stool. You were so excited to have found this little piece of furniture that is just your size, and you played with it, pulling yourself up and down for almost an hour. Now anytime I put you down in your room you crawl right over to your stool! I tell you everyday that Uncle Josh made it special just for you!

My Princess

I am so not a girly girl. In fact, I'm really the farthest thing from it. Not that into clothes, hate wearing make-up, I own 2 pairs of heels (a black pair and a brown pair), my hair is always pulled back in a pony tail, I don't even own a tube of lipstick, and my nails are never done. So why do I die over all things OVERLY girly when it comes to you? Like this picture for example. I saw it and just HAD to have it. I love to put you in dresses, all things pink, buy you hair bows, shoes galore, begged your Daddy to let me pierce your ears, and as soon as you stop putting your feet in your mouth, I want to paint those piggy toes the brightest pink! I just don't understand it, and maybe it's because you are just so adorable, but this extremely girly painting is now hanging above your crib, and I absolutely love it. You are my beautiful little Princess, and if you are the Princess that makes your mommy the Queen!

First Tooth!

It finally popped through on July 4th. You look so adorable with a little tooth! Your Daddy and I were shopping the other day and I bought you a little toothbrush! Of course he made fun of me because your little tooth isn't even halfway up yet, but it's never too soon to practice oral hygiene! You love to sit in the sink and watch me brush my teeth and wash my face in the morning, so now you get to brush your little tooth too!

9 months old!

It seriously blows my mind that you are 9 months old already! At 9 months old you are still army crawling everywhere, with no real interest in getting up on your hands and knees. You are pulling yourself up by grabbing on to everything! You are 16 pounds (only the 10th percentile) and 27 inches tall (25th percentile). You finally have one little tooth on the bottom, but I can already feel one coming through on the top. You say "ma-ma" and "da-da" all day long, but I still don't think you associate the words with us. You love food, and are so over eating babyfood. Your favorites as of right now are soybeans, blueberries, pizza crust, broccoli, and avocados! Pointing your little index finger is something new over the past week or so, and you seem to be doing it more every single day. Your hair is starting to get out of control. It is so thick and pretty in the back, but is growing all long and crazy in the front, your Daddy forbids me to cut it. You don't seem to have much stranger anxiety anymore, letting almost anyone hold you, as long as I am in sight. You love to play with your little friends, Maya, Reese, and Mariam. You still have the best little personality, you hardly ever cry or complain, you are so easy going, and are just happy to be doing anything as long as you are with us. I love you so much!

Stander-Upper

On July 3rd we were out at a birthday party. You were already out later than usual and it was way past your bedtime by the time we left to come home. I thought for sure you would pass out on the car ride home, but you didn't even go to sleep for another hour after we got home. Finally at close to 10:00 (your normal bedtime is around 8:00) I put you in your crib and closed the door. About 20 minutes later, I heard you on the monitor still awake and talking to yourself. I got up to see what you were up to, and it was a good thing I did because this is what I saw!
At almost 9 months old you are now pulling yourself up! I couldn't believe my eyes! Needless to say, your tired mommy had to lower your crib at 10:30 at night. You are getting so big so fast!

The Beach

I grew up going to the beach every summer. I love the beach! I could spend the entire day there, soaking up the sun, burying my feet in the hot sand, and swimming in the ocean. I couldn't wait to take you there. I was hoping, actually praying, that you would love the beach as much as me (cause your Daddy hates it) so we could spend the majority of our days there while we were on vacation. Everyone said that you were too young to enjoy the beach. Everyone said that I was going to be so disappointed when I got there and realized our beach trips were going to be short lived. Everyone said that there was no way you were going to take your naps on the beach. YOU LOVE THE BEACH! Aunt Jen, Maya, you, and I spent every single day of vacation on the beach, for at least 3 hours. You and I could have probably stayed longer, but we couldn't let Aunt Jen (who is 7 months pregnant) carry back the beach stuff by herself. At first I couldn't even get a picture of you looking at the camera because you were to preoccupied with looking at all these new things that you have never seen before. I can only imagine what was going through your little head. You napped every day on the beach without a problem, you loved the sand, and the ocean as well. I am so happy that you are a beach baby!

Icecream!

It's funny all the things you swear that you are going to do with your child before you are actually a parent. If you would have asked me last summer, being 7 months pregnant, if I would be giving my 8 month old ice cream this summer...I would have looked at you and not only have said "no" I probably would have been annoyed that you asked me such a question. But what is the shore without ice cream? And of course I gave you your first sweet taste of soft serve vanilla ice cream at only 8 months old. How could I eat such a wonderful treat in front of your sweet little face and not share? You weren't too sure at first, but after a taste or two, you got so excited! Aunt Jen and I quickly made after dinner ice cream walks a must every night while we were down the shore. You haven't had ice cream since we came home, but don't worry kid, we are headed back down the shore again in late August and ice cream walks will soon be apart of our daily schedule once again!

Three's Company!

The 3 of you got along so well over vacation. I really think you all enjoyed being around one another. You and Reese seemed to age overnight, acting and behaving so much older as you both tried to keep up with Maya. We are definitely going to vacation all together again next year, and it's going to be so exciting to see how you three get along when you are all a year older. I hope you all grow up close and remain great friends, like your moms did!

4th of July

You can't get much cuter than this!!! I love your little pointing finger! We spent your first 4th of July swimming and barbecuing at Bulya's house. It was so incredibly hot out! I was supposed to work 3-11pm, but got called off! I was so happy to be able to spend the entire day at the pool with you. You also got your first tooth! It finally broke through and I noticed it in the morning, right on the bottom! I was wishing your bedtime wasn't so early, because I would have loved to go and see some fireworks. Next year.....

Heaven

One day when we went to the beach, you fell asleep in my arms down by the water. Instead of putting you down, I got my chair and placed it down by the ocean. It was around 9:30am and not many other people were on the beach. The morning sunlight was reflecting off the calm ocean, and I buried my feet deep within the wet sand. You were sound asleep againest my chest, your little hands placed up around my neck, and I wrapped your towel around you to shield you from the hot sun. I looked out across the ocean, took a deep breath, and began to thank God for you and for this beautiful day. A sudden calmness came over my entire body and I began savoring every single second of holding you on the beach, and I permanently began etching it in my brain, because I knew in only a few short hours it would be nothing but a sweet memory. I don't know what heaven is going to be like, but I imagine for me it will be that exact hour played over and over again until the end of time. I love you my sweet little girl.