9-Months Old!

I cannot believe another month has passed! Samuel is 9-months old now. It makes me sad to think that he's been out in the world for as long as I carried him!!! When I was pregnant 9-months felt like an eternity. Now that Samuel is here with us, 9-months has flown by in the blink of an eye! It's bittersweet, but mainly sweet :0) I'm so thankful for such a happy, funny and amazing little boy that keeps us laughing!!!

There hasn't been too much going on with us this past month. The only major milestone that Samuel hit was that he can stand up on his own! And he LOVES to do it! He will try to pull himself up on anything! Chairs, tables, cribs, our legs...we've had a lot of successes and a few not so great attempts that usually end in tears. Samuel gets better at it with each passing day though!

Samuel is still toothless, still doesn't crawl, still doesn't walk and still doesn't sleep through the night. And I'm OK with all of those! I want him to stay a baby as long as possible! However, he is is growing up fast. I put on a pair of size 12 month pajamas that fit him in June, and last night the pants were up to his knees and the shirt wouldn't go over his head!!! I started packing up his size 12 month clothing today. Once again, bittersweet, but thankful for such a big and healthy boy!!!

We've had a lot of fun this past month though! Samuel went to his first birthday party! He was fascinated by the gift bags and wrapping paper. However, he cried the entire party...even when the birthday girl gave him the gift of Gerber Graduate Puffs! So we got his face painted with a smiley face, got a goody bag, mommy ate some cake and we headed home.

We have also started attending Story Time at the Westernport Library! Samuel LOVES it! So many active kids keep him interested! It's hard to believe that he'll be joining them in their fun here soon. In the mean time Samuel remains fascinated with reading. I read at least 8 books a day to him. His favorite is a board book called Peek-A-Boo. He throws a temper tantrum every time I stop reading, whether I've read the book to him once or five times. He just enjoys sitting on my lap and reading. The librarian even made a comment to me after Story Hour that she's never seen a baby so fascinated with books and pictures. Dr. Williams said his large head indicates he'll be smart! So I read the same book over and over, hoping he'll absorb it!

I'm also surprised at how resourceful Samuel has become. When something is out of reach, even though he cannot walk or crawl yet he finds other ways to obtain what he wants. Sometimes he will roll to it, sometimes he scotches on bottom, and sometimes he'll get something longer, like a toy, and hit the item he wants with his toy until it gets close enough to grab! What a clever child!!!

Samuel likes to play games at home too. His favorite is ball. We pass the ball back and forth several times a day! He always laughs and smiles! He also loves the game of Gravity, where he throws everything off of his high chair, over and over and over and over and over and over and over again! And he never gets tired of a good round of Peek-A-Boo...he'll hide his eyes with a blanket or I'll hide mine!

Also, after 3 months of trying every fruit and vegetable in baby food form and after I've made dozens and dozens and dozens of baby foods I've finally figured out what Samuel will eat. He likes baby food meat from a can...GAG! But he LOVES it! I use to struggle to get him to eat 1 tablespoon of a fruit. Now, he's eating turkey and ham by the jar full! I try to throw in a fruit or veggie on the side but Samuel see's what I'm doing and will push his lips together so he doesn't have to eat any! Eric says that Samuel has his taste buds for meat!!! Oh well, after weeks of steaming cauliflower, pea's, and peeling and blending fruits at least I know what Samuel likes to eat now! We've also moved on to trying some table foods, which Samuel enjoys too! Though he doesn't eat a lot, he likes the fact that it comes off of mine or Eric's plate. We might get this boy weaned yet!

Samuel is also becoming more social. He's now smiling at people when they smile at him...but he is still a mommy's boy and doesn't like other people to hold him! My arms have some major definition to them now and my muscles are big!

Samuel's word of the month is Nana...which is Mama. He'll sit on the floor when I leave the room with his arms in the air crying, na na na na na. It's so cute!

Though Samuel is growing up fast, we are eager to see what a 9-month old has in store for us!!! He keeps us on our toes!