we’ve hit the 9 month mark here and i can hardly believe how fast time is flying. i was just looking at old pics of the peanut the other day. let’s reminisce.
day one
one month
three months
six months
and ta-da!!
nine months!
KP and i joke that i spend most of my days recently preventing the peanut from offing herself. now that she’s mobile in the walker, she’s determined to get into places that she was not allowed until now. bathtime is fun too but has its own share of trials. she once tried to drown herself by eating her toes that were STILL UNDERWATER! she learned pretty quick that you can’t breathe in the water once you are out of the womb.
what’s this mommy?
i’m pretty proud of her lately. she’s sprouting teeth like nobody’s business. seems like every 10 days or so we get a sleepless night where she’s in a lot of pain. we do what we can to calm her but sometimes she’s very awake. the other night she cried for close to 2 hours. the night after that was only 30 minutes and then she started sleeping through again. i just hope that she gets all her teeth fast. let’s get this over with!
toast is yummy
as of now, i’m still breastfeeding which i’m pretty proud of. i never thought that i would make it this far. the allure of continuing much longer, though, is faltering. the peanut is becoming increasing squirmy and distracted. she takes a bottle so it’s just a matter of weaning to cow’s milk and rice milk (i want to give her both) when the time is right, around the one-year mark. i’ll be working with the pediatrician but i suspect it’ll be a lot easier than i think.
solid meals are not very fun around here, though. the nut is a picky eater. she only likes a handful of things and when her teeth hurt she spits her food which is no fun for me. i have to close my eyes and go to my happy place or else i melt down nuclear-style. she loves cheerios though. doesn’t every kid?
num num num
so the weaning and sleeping are all on track due to the baby whisperer. i don’t talk about my parenting style here much because who really cares? but some might want to know, i guess. i started using the baby whisperer routines when she was 6 weeks old. it took a long time but i’ve taught her how to sleep independently in her crib. she cries when she needs us but happily goes off to dreamland on her own (with a pacifier and blankie.) she takes two naps per day and is a mess without them.
just so you know, the days don’t always go as planned and she does bunk a nap or nightsleep here and there due to teething or gas, but all in all, these routines have really worked for her. quite frankly, her personality demanded it. she needed a lot of guidance from the beginning and i did my best. not all babies are like her. my cousin’s littlest baby boy is a sleep-anywhere-anytime kind of kid! what a joy he is! i guess we’re all lucky in our own ways. i’m glad i worked so hard on my baby girl. she’s a very happy kid and i never have had to have her cry-it-out.
future chef?
she doesn’t travel well, though, and this has proven to be quite a problem. both KP and i have families around here and getting her out to see them is hell on earth. she doesn’t like being in the car or around strangers. she doesn’t like going without her naps. she doesn’t like to stay up late (she sleeps from 7:15PM to 7:30AM every day!) a lot of this is her personality and a lot of this is because i have her on a routine. i’m certainly not sorry about that but i suspect that when she cuts down to one nap per day after she’s a year old and is more ready to socialize, this will become less of a problem. i just have to wait it out.
got a little something right there
i don’t think that i can accurately describe how happy this little kid has made me! dude, i even quit my job to stay home with her and i never thought that i would do that (i WAS making quite the bankroll at my last place of employment.) to think that 2008 is just around the corner and so is march! she’s getting so big.. i keep telling her not to grow but she won’t listen to me! oh well, i’ll just have to cherish every moment in the meantime.
love you peanut!
Wanett
She was a beauty from day one! Time does fly very fast with little people, before you know it she’ll be one.
Dec 28, 2007 @ 12:58 PM
Cara
What a sweetheart! Thanks for sharing! I might not have believed it before, but as I head into my last trimester, I KNOW time goes that fast. WOW!
Dec 28, 2007 @ 1:44 PM
lomester
every time you post about her it just makes me smile for the longest time. You have a lovely daughter!
Dec 28, 2007 @ 2:05 PM
Macoco
She is such a sweetie pie. Sometimes I think Cheerios is the miracle food for kids.
Dec 28, 2007 @ 2:27 PM
jess
I am in love with the Peanut-in-amazon-box-and-toys picture
She is so darn cute! 
Happy 9 month Peanut!
Dec 28, 2007 @ 3:12 PM
Veronique
Wow! Thanks for sharing all those pics
I know you’ve been through a lot this year. You are the most organized person I know, and the Peanut wasn’t aware of that at first!
Dec 28, 2007 @ 3:35 PM
laura b
What a cutie she is! I love how she’s changed so much, but you can still tell it’s her.
I’m going to look for that book. We’re on a super-scheduled routine here too… but we didn’t start until age one. It was okay doing the non-scheduled thing with baby #1, but I’m thinking that it will be impossible with #2 what with #1 being so stuck to her routine.
Dec 28, 2007 @ 7:19 PM
schrodinger
It really is incredible how fast time goes isn’t it? I’m glad to see she is such a bundle of joy for you both – she’s certainly adorable.
Dec 29, 2007 @ 4:48 AM
Gina
It’s pretty amazing how fast babies grow and change.
Dec 29, 2007 @ 11:09 AM
yaiAnn
Her and George are getting down! =) So cute!
Dec 29, 2007 @ 11:09 AM
rebecca
Aw! She’s so cute! I just love to see little ones playing in a box or something simple like that. They don’t need much! Happy 9 month birthday Peanut!
Dec 29, 2007 @ 11:16 AM
Lisa
You’ve certainly come a long way, baby AND mommy! The Peanut is a cutie-patootie and you certainly are doing a bang-up job raising her. Here’s to a wonderful and healthy 2008!
Dec 29, 2007 @ 11:03 PM
Craptina
wow that progression of shots was really great- babies grow so fast it’s easy to forget how they once were. Camille is gorgeous, and I know you are cherishing every day with her.
Dec 31, 2007 @ 11:00 AM
Annie
Isn’t insane how the first year just whips by? cashew is on a great routine as well, and though to those who don’t have babies it’s a drag, for us it’s a life saver! And hooray on the breastfeeding! It’s a very good thing, I think. Not for everybody, but I’m glad to know that there are others still breastfeeding past 6 months!
Dec 31, 2007 @ 12:31 PM
carrie m
she IS getting really big! and look at that hair. thanks for sharing all of your info — and i hope the teething ends soon.
Dec 31, 2007 @ 9:47 PM
mamie
steph, i love hearing about the nut and her life. it is so interesting how each baby is so different. having my two at the same time has made me realize what individuals babies are. and i think parenting styles aside, our little ones guide us to what they need. hope your new year is wonderful, cannot wait to see more on the nut. and yeah, we here in bean land are teaching all family members choking safety, etc as the boys are really mobile, really curious and really into putting everything into their mouths. onward ho, 2008, and hugs to you and the nut
Jan 01, 2008 @ 1:20 PM
amanda
I got the Baby Whisperer for Christmas! I’m happy to hear it is working for you! I can’t believe how big the peanut is… time is flying. She looks adorable in her teeny legwarmers.
Jan 03, 2008 @ 11:37 AM