9 months.

9 months. I can't believe it's been that long. I still feel like you're teeny tiny. Maybe it's because you're the baby...and you'll always be the baby. You're creeping up on one year, but to me, you still seem brand new. I try to keep you little. I still dress you in onesies. You rarely wear collared shirts or real shoes. You still wear footed jammies and night gowns. You still sleep right against me all night long, and although you have yet to sleep through the night, I'm in no hurry for you to sleep in your own room. I love the way you nuzzle against me and how perfectly your little head fits under my arm.

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9 months: 2 bottom teeth! 

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Things you love:

-mommy's milk

-dancing

-Radio Flyer car

-the stuffed animal/baby doll basket in  

  Lil's room

-taking baths

-Dum Dum suckers

-Barney

-Baby Einstein movies

-balls

-popsicles 

-mommy's iPhone

-FaceTime

-water

-Papa Kelbo

-being outside

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There's so much to say about you this month. I guess I'll start with the biggest news. You're walking! You've been taking steps for a month, but two days before Christmas you got brave. You've been standing up in the middle of the floor from a squatting position for a couple of weeks, but now you will stand up and walk distances across the room! LilliAnn was this exact age when she started walking. You love chasing the big kids and you've been bear crawling on the cold, tile floor for almost two months because you don't like the feel of it on your knees, so I knew you would probably walk early. The first few times you walked, the big kids would clap and cheer for you and you would get so excited. Your cheesy, two-teeth grin is priceless! 

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Speaking of teeth, you have two now. The first one (bottom right) came in at 8 1/2 months, and the second (bottom left) came in right at 9 months. You LOVE to eat, and have recently become very interested in more textured food. You still eat about 4 packages of organic baby food daily, but you love whole green beans, bites of mashed potatoes and sweet potatoes, little bites of chicken or turkey, chicken and dumplings, yogurt, and rice from the Mexican or Japanese restaurants! The Earth's Best brand seems to be your favorite brand. You love anything with sweet potatoes, apples, pears, kale, spinach, carrots, cherries, or acai Berry, but I have to work hard to get you to eat any banana, blueberry, squash or sweet pea blends. I try to stay away from dairy and grains, however some of the breakfast mixes have quinoa, barley, chia, oats, or Greek yogurt. Thankfully, you haven't had a problem with any foods. You are quite the "snacker" and I always try to keep organic gluten-free puffs or organic fruit bites on hand. You also love water and want frequent drinks from your sippy cup. You've been able to drink from a straw since 6 months, and I've found that the sippy cups with a straw work best. You take the biggest drinks, and you start smiling and patting your hands every time I say, "Want a drink?" 

I recently started you on the IntraKid multivitamin and Infant formula probiotic. You love the taste of it, and the small amount of iron hasn't seemed to constipate you...actually, you're a great "pooper." You have about 3-4 dirty diapers a day, which means you have a healthy digestive system! 

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9 Months…AND WALKING!!!

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You've been saying a couple of words for the past two months or so, but this month is when I really started noticing you "talking."

Words at 9 months:

-bite

-dada

-hot

-bye bye

-occasionally mama

-occasionally bubba

When I put food on the big kids' table, you pull up on it and say "bite." And every time I put you in your high chair you say, "bite!" The other night your crawled up to Nana while she was eating and bounced up and down on your knees saying "bite!" 

The kids love to feed you...the pinch off tiny pieces of their snacks, and it's not uncommon to see you crawling around the house eating pretzels, cheez-it's, goldfish, or even little pieces of bacon! 

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I absolutely adore your personality. And so does everyone else! You are always happy and you smile for everyone who talks to you. You give the best hugs, and you even have started giving kisses! You especially love your Papa Kelbo and when we're at the office, you always crawl into his office to find him (maybe because he always gives you suckers or bites of candy)! 

You love playing peek-a-boo. Every morning when I'm in the bath, you stand in the side of the tub and squat down where I can't see you. I'll say, "where's Rush?" Then you'll pop up and smile at me and start laughing, then we'll do it again. It's the cutest thing ever! 

Dancing is another thing that you've started doing this month. You absolutely love music, and you will bounce on your knees and bob your head when you hear something playing. Last week, you and Uncle Kass were getting down to some Bruno Mars, Uptown Funk!

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Already looking like a little quarterback!

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It's been the best 9 months of my life. I love having three kids, and you have been the cherry on top of my sundae, Rush. You are my joy and I am so, so very glad that we have you. You make me happier than I ever knew possible. I love you sweet baby boy. 

8 months.

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So I'm several months behind on our monthly posts…lots of activities and building our dream house has been quite challenging for this mama of three! That being said, the 8 month post will be short and sweet. I'll try to do better on 9 months.

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8 Month Highlights:

-sleeps with mommy and daddy

-has yet to sleep through the night

-naps three times daily

-loves to eat baby food! 

-still breastfeeding

-lots of teething going on!

-can stand alone

-taking one or two steps

-cruising around furniture

-crawls like a bear or monkey (on hands and feet with knees not touching the floor)

-loves watching Baby Einstein in the car

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This month was all about building muscles in those legs. And look at that tongue sticking out…balance is hard work!

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He would do squats…up and down, up and down. He would stand for a second and then slowly ease his way down to the ground. He was getting those thighs ready for some walking!

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And always chewing on those fingers! Our very first tooth came in this month (bottom left)!

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 This picture reminds me of Reid! So serious!!

7 months.

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7 months…and such a doll baby! He's got that cheesy grin down pat and he's got his mama's heart. Sometimes I look at him and cannot even take the cuteness! I seriously cannot imagine my life without this baby boy. He's definitely a mama's boy…my little snuggle buddy…my sidekick…my baby. I probably have already written about this, but I love how well he communicates. Rush and I bonded from the second he was born, and I feel like I've always known exactly what he wanted. From day one, I knew what each cry meant, how he liked to be held, when he wanted to nurse, when he needed cuddled…it's like I could his facial expressions and just know what he was thinking. And when he looks up from nursing and smiles that cheesy grin…my. heart. melts. 

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His facial expression are so much like his daddy's!

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 7 Month Highlights:

-sleeps with mommy and daddy

-doesn't sleep through the night

-likes to use mommy as a pacifier

-pulls up and cruising a bit

-ALWAYS smiling

-eating organic baby foods

-loves sweet potatoes, carrots, and peas

-loves watching big brother and sister

-likes singing

-bath time is a favorite

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starting to become more curious and interested in examining things (now pulls off his monthly sticker and examines it - tries to figure it out)

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 LOVES peek-a-boo!

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 If this is the reaction you got from someone every time you talked to them, how could you not help but be completely and totally smitten?!

(This was his reaction to Reid saying, "Hey bubba!" in a funny voice)

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 little Jeb! The expressions are endless!

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 Why is it going by so fast?! I keep having babies, but they just keep growing up...

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And this just about sums up 7 months old for us...

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Pull up, let go, balance for one second, fall on booty…repeat.

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 yep…he's a heartbreaker.

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checking out the crib that he's never slept in

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We eat breakfast every morning right after Jeb leaves to take the kids to school. At first I would put him in the high chair while I was warming up the food, but that didn't work so well… #nopatiencewhenhungry

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 He's like his daddy. Don't talk to him until he's eaten! 

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 but still can be easily distracted...

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 And just a few more meal time pics…this time sissy was by his side!

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 that nose crinkle!

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precious little baby fingers

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 Who says boys aren't as fun to dress as girls? Look at this adorable hat and matching leggings!

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and those gray camo moccs!

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She's the best big sister, but she wears him out! She totes him around like a sack of 'taters! :)

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He's crawling super fast and won't sit still anymore…uh oh, the fun is just beginning!

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Precious 7 month-old baby of mine, please stay little…mommy sure is enjoying her BABY!