Alexander - 9 months

Helloooo! I know I've been terribly lacking in posts lately but Xander is on the MOVE and his naps are hard to come by so I just haven't had much time!

Alexander is 9 months old TODAY! He's now been out as long as he was in - that's a weird thought. I can definitely say that I'm much happier on this side of those 9 months!I took this picture about 14 hours before starting labor. I was leaving the midwife's office the day before my due date and I was certain that he wouldn't be coming anytime soon. Boy was I wrong!

Your personality continues to blossom this month. Surprisingly, you're a bit of a social butterfly...that definitely did NOT come from me. You LOVE interacting with other people! It's interesting to see you next to other kids your age...you are smaller than most but always busy!

You've been saying "momma" since about 6 months but the speech-pathologist in me wouldn't accept it as a real word until I could see that you know the meaning. Well this month I think I can officially say you've said your first word...and it's momma! Good job kid! Many mornings you'll wake up in your crib and say "momma momma momma" over and over until your Dad comes to get you and brings you downstairs to me. It complely melts my heart! You'll also say it as you crawl to me when you notice me across the room. I don't hate it!

After MONTHS of being concerned about your weight you've finally started to pork up! Could it be because you now eat as much as an adult in addition to still nursing?! Breakfast is typically 2-3 eggs and a shared piece of fruit. Lunch is lighter because we're always on the go. Dinner is whatever we're having but almost the same sized portion. Tuna and chicken are your favorite meats. You also enjoy scarfing down beans and any type of fruit. It is so fun to see you explore new foods and textures and although we're starting to see hints of preferences (you now REFUSE broccoli...who are you!?) you generally eat anything we put in front of you.

Spring is FINALLY coming to Norway. The tulips in our front yard are blooming and we are all ready to get out of the house. My back is still making steady progress and although running is still off the table I'm able to bike ride. We took you for your first ride in the bike trailer around the neighborhood this month and you really enjoyed it. You have always enjoyed being outside and I think we're going to have so much fun this Spring and Summer enjoying (hopefully) some beautiful weather here.

 

Did I mention you are on the move!? If I thought you were fast last month then this month you're like baby lightening. You can seriously crawl almost as fast as I can run across the room. This is an equation that you've become great at calculating...Can I make it to the dog's water bowl faster than Mom. The answer is always yes. You still enjoy crawling in the dog's bed and you will chase Bailey in the mornings while I get your breakfast ready. The dogs are really good with you even when you smack them in the face or head butt them!

 You've been sleeping through the night now for almost 2 months. This is an amazing gift but it also has a downside - your naps are pretty unpredictable, sometimes non-existent. If I had to choose, I'd pick a good nighttime sleeper every time, but you still get fussy around nap times even when you don't end up going to sleep. Interestingly enough, I'm not much of a nap taker either so I can't really fault you for genetics. You've had a few rough nights and days and we swear up and down that you're teething but can't see anything to validate that yet. So for now it's still the 6 teeth.

Alexander- life with you is busy and noisy! You're always dirty and (almost) always happy. You love to laugh and you make life just that more joyful. We're proud of you kiddo...of your determination, your independence, and your fun-loving spirit. But unfortunately you're not allowed to grow any older...your first birthday is just around the corner and I just can not.

We love you buddy!