9 Month Review

Like the last month, this just flew by! It is hard to believe she will be 1 year in a few months. I am trying not to think about it. =) This is such a wonderful age. It is definitely the most fun so far I think Jim and I have had with her. She's sleeping better (when she is not sick) and she's definitely more portable. Libby is also getting a lot better about being around a large group of people. The trick is to have 1 person nearby that she knows really well.

This last month had cases of illness like usual but did not seem as bad. We did have a time where we had to use an inhaler on her because her little pipes wouldn't clear. So far we have only had to do this once but because of all of her issues with having constant colds, skin rashes (thanks to me! =(), and wheezing (from never being healthy since we took her to daycare) the Doctor told us she is at risk for all kinds of allergies and it would be best not to give her any kind of seafood or nuts (i.e., peanuts) until she was 3 years old. In my gut I know she won't have a peanut allergy but I am not going to risk it. It's sad she won't get to try peanut butter for awhile but the idea of getting away from the stinky formula and giving her real milk just makes me smile. I know Jim won't be sad to see it go either!

Like I said, sleeping is going better too when she's healthy. We had a dozen or so times where she has slept through the night. Most of the nights where she doesn't sleep through the nights, she either has a bottle very quickly and goes right to sleep or just wakes up because she is too congested. It is getting a lot better though and she seems like she just wants to sleep versus getting up throughout the night. If she does get up, it is usually between 2 and 3am and we make it as quick of a process as possible!

Feedings are going really well too. She has her favorites and ones she very much distastes. Not dislike really - loathes. She won't eat meat. We have tried everything from drowning it in applesauce (her favorite) to me cooking up actual ground turkey breast, blending into almost a powder form and putting it into the applesauce. Nothing seems to be working. I'm running out of ideas. My Mom tells me I was the same way. Even now, meat is not my favorite. I'm a steak and potato girl but hold the steak. =) Other foods we try seem to be going really well. Her tastes are odd - she loves things mixed together. One of her favorites that is always a hit is this disgusting Gerber Garden Vegetable tub that smells like least favorite veggie imaginable pureed into one giant nasty green mess. But, if we mix that with banana, boy howdy that is awesome stuff to her! Actually, she has been known to just eat the Garden Vegetable stuff by itself on occasion which is virtually unheard of in this house. Oh, and just a warning, every time you eat near our cutie she will stare you down. She thinks she should have whatever you are eating too. It helps that I can give her Graham Crackers and/or her sippy cup (which is always with us) but it still makes you feel like a horrible human being for eating in front of this child that wants what you have.

Laughing seems to be constant in the household. Her laugh is definitely developing and she'll laugh at everything and anything. Jim/Daddy is the best at it. I can get her to laugh if I dance around her a bit. Jim can get her to laugh anywhere/anyhow. The best way to get her to laugh is to use puppets. We've subscribed to the TV Channel "BabyFirst TV" through Dish. It was adorable at first and honestly rarely repeats programs but there is only so long you can listen to those happy, chirpy songs. Jim suggested on Friday to let her watch the Muppets so that we can watch something too. Now, it isn't as education as "BabyFirst TV" but she loved it. We had already bought her one puppet from a store in the loop called City Sprouts but we decided we need to go get more. We did and she loves them. Jim's very good at playing the various roles and I can already see into the future where we do various shows with the puppets for her around the coffee table.

Libby also loves to be on the floor. She'll constantly want to play by herself. Her latest addiction seems to be ripping a part the puzzle mats we have put down so she doesn't bonk her head. Some of her other favorite toys are the basketball goal, Sesame Street Pop thingy (sorry don't know what it is called), this empty bottle I filled with rice), oh and tags. She loves to chew on anything that has a tag on it!


I forgot to mention the newest thing with Libby. She has added 3 new top teeth. All at once. That wasn't a pleasant experience for anyone involved. They all came in within days of one another and the Tylenol came out. It always seems to do the trick. But she won't be missing her front teeth for Christmas it seems!

I think that's it for now so here are the milestones.

Milestones:

...should be able to:

• work to get a toy that's out of reach - Check!
  
• look for dropped object- Check!

... will probably be able to:

• pull up to standing position from sitting- Not yet!
• creep or crawl- Check!
• get into a sitting position from stomach- Not yet!
• object if you try to take away a toy- Check!
• stand holding on to someone or something- Check!
• pick up tiny object with any part of thumb or finger- Check!
• say "mama" or "dada" indiscriminately- Check!
• play peekaboo- Check!

... may possibly be able to:

• play patty-cake (clap hands) or wave bye-bye- Not yet!
  
• walk holding on to furniture (cruise)- Not yet! Working on it though.
  

... may even be able to:

• "play ball" (roll ball back to you)- I think she has done this but now we're going to have to try it. =) I think it may have been on accident
  
• drink from a cup independently- Check! She LOVES her sippy cup.
  
• pick up a tiny object neatly with tips of thumb and forefinger- Check!
• stand alone momentarily- Check! But only for about 2 or 3 seconds maximum
  
• say "dada" and "mama" discriminately- Check!
• say one word other than "mama" or "dada"- I think she said "cat" on Saturday but hasn't said it since. So I am going to say no until she does it again.
  
• respond to one-step command with gestures ("give that to me," said with hand out).-

And as usual, here is a picture. It is of her standing after a little bit of fun with me. =) You can see how tall she is!