Piper - 9 months

I feel like the best way to describe Piper at 9 months old is to compare her a koala bear. She certainly has the ability to be mobile - she's crawling well, standing, walking along furniture, climbing the stairs - but much of the time, she's either riding on my back or hanging desperately to my neck, shirt, legs, etc. By the end of the day, the neckline of my shirt is always stretched and baggy from her refusing to let go when I need to put her down or change her diaper.

But as much as she likes to be held, I wouldn't describe her as a needy baby. She is happy and calm and nearly always smiling.

The other way I'd describe Piper is "awesome." And that's exactly how the nursery worker at my gym described her when I was picking up the kids on Monday after my workout. She said Piper is awesome - just happy to explore and watch Libby. And that is so true. Libby is usually playing in the ballpit when I pick them up and Piper is sitting just outside of the play structure (as close as she can get without getting trampled by the kids climbing in and out), staring and laughing her head off at Libby. It's just the cutest thing ever.

Stats
Birth: 7 lbs 12 oz, 20 inches long
2 Weeks: 8 lbs 5 oz, 21 inches long
2  Months: 11 lbs 5 oz, 24 inches long

4 Months: 14 lbs 6.5 oz, 26 inches long
6 Months: 17 lbs, 27 inches long
9 Months: 18 lbs 11 oz, 29.25 inches long

Libby speak - summer 2013 edition

I've had a piece of paper sitting on my kitchen counter for about the past month that I use to jot down funny things Libby says. My paper is getting full, so it's time to transfer them here.

Some are funny, some are quirky, and some are just so typical-Libby that I have to record them.

In response to telling her that something is broken/not working/out of batteries: But you will fix it! (I love her unconditional confidence in me.)

In response to telling her that we don't have something: But we will get some more at the store!

After I told her I got a bug bite: No bug will come and bite you again, ok?

During a conversation about marriage, Libby said she wanted to marry Grandpa. I told her he was already taken. She said she wanted to marry Daddy. I told her he was taken, too. Pointing to the man across the street mowing his lawn, I want to marry that boy so he can mow for me.

Can you do this? (holding up middle finger) We hear this one about 20 times a day, though the gesture/action is usually a bit milder. Sometimes it's standing on one foot, or crossing her legs a certain way, or intertwining her fingers. Sometimes it's hard to figure out what she is even referring to and she gets really upset when we can't copy her exactly.

ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ at 3 am, while stroking Dad's whiskers. We were sleeping in the basement for a few weeks before we got a new A/C and Libby shared an air mattress with Jared. She doesn't normally wake up in the middle of the night, but something about sharing a bed with Dad was just too darn exciting. She would wake up almost every night and sing the ABCs over and over and over.

I won't do it again, heard every.single.day. after she gets in trouble for hitting/biting/knocking over/sitting on Piper.

I'm a scary robot!

I'm a happy monster!

In response to me using my tablet after she put it down, You not being really nice! I was using that!

In response to someone saying "I'm sorry," You fine or You are fine. 

When I told her it was time for Piper to take a nap: Uh, actually, I have to play with her.

During a potty training conversation: Libby, what do you do when you need to poop? I have to tell Mommy to take me to the ice cream place. 

Indepence Day in Nauvoo

My little sister, Leighana, had a youth conference trip to Nauvoo last week. And my mom was a chaperone. So, with Nauvoo being only 2 hours away from us, we had to make the trip down to see them.

It was a fun day. We went on July 4 and had beautiful weather. We spent the day visiting the "Old Nauvoo Village" and ended the day by seeing a show called "Sunset on the Mississippi." We considered going to the fireworks show in nearby Keokuk, but the kids were tired and it was out of our way, so we had to make do with the sporadic fireworks we saw on our drive home. I think this is 4 years in a row that I've missed seeing fireworks, which is usually my very favorite part of the holiday. (You know, other than having a free country.) Next year!

Oops! Somehow I didn't get any pictures of Leighana on my camera. I'm a bit child-centric when it comes to taking photos.

Piper - 8 months

 At 8 months, Piper:

-has 8 teeth
-eats sweet potatoes, apple sauce, yogurt, oatmeal, rice, bread, tortillas, mashed beans, bananas, and popsicles. (This girl loves popsicles and will use both hands to grab one away from anyone who has one.)

-crawls with her tummy off the floor, but only for a few steps at a time
-can push herself up to sitting
-can pull up to her knees
-can pull up to standing (she shocked me when she did this for the first time!)

-naps twice a day
-wakes a few times a night and is really good at convincing me she neeeeds to nurse and neeeeeeds to sleep in my bed
-loves to take baths, especially with Libby

I walked out of the room for a minute this morning, and when I came back, I found that Libby had taken over feeding Piper. She did an awesome job!

Texas

On this trip to Texas, we did some much needed shopping at Ikea, went to the Dallas temple (first time back since we were married there 4 years ago!), visited the Perot Museum, had lunch at El Fenix (their chips are SO good), and hung out with family. It was very refreshing.

Love my grandpa's face in this picture.

Checking out my grandparents' garden

Four generations (although this is my dad's mom, not my mom's)

Picking blackberries

Good thing Grandma is limber! Piper enjoyed going for a ride.

Hanging out with Grandpa

 

 

 

I love this picture. Libby got the gator stuck around her neck. Sad, but funny. And Piper is sitting in a box. :)

Road Trip

Well, we survived our first major road trip with 2 kids. We drove the 13 hours to Dallas to visit my family. It went about as well as can be expected with a potty-training toddler and a baby who doesn't really sleep in the car. I think Piper slept only 30 minutes the entire 6 hour drive the first day.

But really, it wasn't so bad. The weather was beautiful the entire way down. We drove right through Moore, Oklahoma, thankfully beating the tornado by about 12 hours. (We also drove through Moore on the way home and witnessed some of the destruction. Check out the sandwiched billboard below.)

Libby colored, played with her leap pad, and requested over and over to "play a puzzle on Mommy's Nexus." Piper chewed on a pen, ate Puffs, and sucked on an apple. Jared and I took turns sitting in the backseat entertaining the kids (it was actually more comfortable back there anyway) and driving.

Favorite picture from the drive, somewhere on the side of the road in Kansas:

Piper - 7 months

Is this not one of the most gorgeous babies you have ever seen? I just love her adorable face.

Piper can sit up for short periods of time, but honestly, she is nearly always in my arms or on my back (riding in the Boba) so she hasn't had much practice. When she is on the floor, she immediately rolls around and is able to scoot a little bit.

We quit swaddling her to sleep - cold turkey. She rolled over onto her face one night (while her arms were still tucked inside), so I decided for her own safety, she had to give it up. And now she's actually sleeping better, so that's a win. She still wakes up once or twice at night to nurse. Most days, I can put her down to sleep while she's still awake and she falls asleep in her crib after just a few minutes of fussing. She still ends up in our bed most nights, but I'm trying to limit that now, because she did roll off the bed once. (Fortunately, our room was a mess and she landed on a pile of laundry, so no harm done.)

She likes sweet potatoes and mashed bananas. And Puffs. Oh boy, does she enjoy Puffs. We said hello and goodbye to rice cereal and oatmeal. Those don't interest her.

She squawks and squeals quite a bit, but she is a very happy baby. We are so lucky to have her.