Conor Christopher: Nine months

 

Conor by month 1 // 2 // 3 // 4  // 5  // 6 // 7 // 8

Growing // You weigh 14 lbs 11 oz. Last month you weighed 14 lbs 4 oz, and just two weeks ago you weighed 14 lbs. So this month you lost weight, and then gained some. You are measuring 25 inches and your head circumference is 45.3 cm (59th percentile).

You're still tiny even for your corrected due date age - not even on the chart! Your head circumference is on the charts though, for your actual age!!

Eating + Sleeping // Most days you're eating 6 times a day, but recently it's just been 5 as you've upped your game in the feeding department and the amount you consume in one go, and you typically consume 28 ounces a day, some days more, some days less. I'm still pumping exclusively, but I don't pump enough so we supplement with formula and we're still fortifying your breastmilk with formula. You've been sick nearly this entire month with a cough and a cold, and you started the month off with a significant decrease in your milk intake, and you actually ended up losing weight. But in the last few days, you've been feeding so good! Your reflux still definitely plays a part in your food intake as some times you cough so much you throw up your food. So feeding you sometimes is hard, but it's felt easier the last few days. We're definitely following your cues more and feeding you more based upon when you want to eat rather than when we think you should be eating. And I can tell you're hungry because you start sucking on your tongue, you don't cry or anything, you just start sucking furiously. It's pretty cute! I'm not nearly as stressed about feeding you as I was months ago, even though you didn't gain much weight this month! I know that you'll catch up with time ...eventually. And I know you'll eat in your time. And we've continued with solids - we've introduced bananas, pears, sweet potato, and some other things I'm sure I'm forgetting. And to be honest I don't really know what you think about the food, but you do love sitting in your highchair with all of us at meal times. We still feed you on your left side - I snuggle you in the crook of my right arm and feed you with my left hand and you play with my fingers while you eat. It's the sweetest and everything feels right in the world until you start coughing and throw it all up! 

You are a great sleeper! You wake up around 7 or so? It really depends on if you wake up on your own accord or if your brothers wake you up! We are still waking you up in the early hours of the morning to eat, but this month you were super sick, so you weren't all that interested in eating. And you're taking 3 naps still - a morning nap, an afternoon nap, and a late afternoon nap. Sometimes this afternoon nap turns into bedtime depending on how the day has gone and depending on how late it starts! And then you're normally in bed by 6:30/7, but again it really just depends. We normally try to get you to bed before we get your brothers to bed, so it's just a juggling act based upon how the day has gone. And you're still sleeping on your wedge in the pack n play in our room. And sleeping in your rock n play for naps during the day. 

Wearing // You are wearing 6 month things, a few 9 month things, but not really. I'm loving just plain white long-sleeved onesies and cozy one piece outfits and I can't forget those zutano booties. I love those things! I've just started putting you in jeans and things as you were just too small for the jeans we had for you, but you're slowly growing into your things and I'm slowly revamping your style. And to be honest, alot of the items I have for you are either brand new or second hand, but they're not hand me downs from your brothers as the seasons are all off. 

Loving // You loved swinging! And you love being upright and not laying on the floor all the time, hence you've enjoyed your bouncer and even sitting in the laundry basket. I'm sure it's nice to get a different perspective on the world. You love sitting in your highchair and eating. You are a happy baby, and extremely tolerable of alot of things, so it's hard to figure out what you really really love. 

Loathing // Your brothers can be pretty aggressive with you...and you really really don't like when you spit up. I can hear you crying from your room and I know that you're coughing to the point that you've made yourself sick. 

Doing // You are rolling around these days. Definitely rolling from front to back, and you have rolled from back to front, but you don't do it regularly. You're doing great with holding your huge head up, and you can sit with some assistance, but your head doesn't really help you much in that department. But we've started putting you in the laundry basket to help with this and surrounding you with blankets and toys, and you love being up off the floor. You are reaching for toys and making your best attempt at solids. You love staring at your hands and sucking on your fingers. I don't see any teeth coming through, but you sure are drooling more these days. And you love to play on your activity mat and grab your feet. And you've gone to alot of Drs appointments this past month. Trying to figure out how to bounce in your bouncer!

Doctors appointments // 2 Occupational therapy appointments, 1 appointment at childrens with urology, 1 WIC appointment, 1 ophthalmology appointment, 1 visit to North Seattle pediatrics.

Milestones // Your first Christmas! And your first visit with Santa, and the gingerbread houses and the lights at the church. First time in a swing! You are growing - growing out of things and growing into things. You tried out your bouncer for the first time, and it took you a little while to get the hang of it!

Jack by month 1 // 2 // 3 // 4 // 5 // 6 // 7 // 8 // 9 // 10 // 11 // 12

Ryan by month 1 // 2 // 3 // 4 // 5 // 6 // 7 // 8 // 9 // 10 // 11 //12 

Ryan Alexander: Nine Months

Ryan by month 1 // 2 // 3 // 4 // 5 // 6 // 7 // 8 //

Ryan just stop growing up okay? I can't even believe you are one month closer to turning a YEAR! I look at newborns now and think ...Ryan was even smaller than that. It's just crazy! You would think I'd be use to how much growth and change happens in that first year since it's not my first rodeo, but the reality is, I'll never be use to it. It's incredible really! You are so curious about everything...and it's so fun to watch your little personality unfold.

Growing // At your nine month check up you weighed 19 lbs 6 oz (44th percentile), you were 27.75 inches long (24th percentile), and your head circumference was 47 cm (94th percentile). I don't even think Jack's head was that big!! You are so strong and solid.

Eating + sleeping //  You love to eat and you fuss when you're hungry. I've transitioned from the nuby thing and started just putting your food in the food pouches and you've started to just feed yourself. And you love feeding yourself cheerios and peas. I breastfeed you right when you wake up in the morning or after naps - so maybe about 5/6 times a day? You eat like such a champ! You are still doing 3 naps a day, one in the morning from 830-930, another one in the afternoon from 12-130, and another one from 3-4. You are such a good napper! We literally just put you in your bed around those times, fully awake, and you just fall asleep. I don't think we've ever had to rock you to sleep or do anything extra. Nor have you ever slept in the bed with us...or napped with me...I'm always quick to put you in your bed to sleep.

We've definitely been very faithful to follow an eat, play, sleep routine, but your routine is definitely fairly baby-led. We follow your cues and put you to bed a few hours after you wake up from your last nap. I bet you could drop a nap and go down to just two naps, but you start rubbing your eyes or start fussing in the afternoon. So we listen to your tells and put you to bed and you do fall asleep, so we're holding on to that third nap. So perhaps it's a combination routine? I mean we are the ones in control of your routine, but we are definitely not bound to the clock, your dad especially. Anyhow, in regards to nighttime sleep, we've been trying to sleep train you just a little teeny tiny bit and instead of feeding you every time you wake up, I've just been putting your pacifier in your mouth, sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn't. But you did give me a ten hour stretch of sleep, and I didn't know what to do with myself. I woke up twice, pumped twice, checked that you were breathing twice. You must have been so tired! Your normal is to go to bed around 7 and to wake up around 1 something, and I feed you, and you go back to sleep till 645 or so? I never really know though as it's not that consistent yet.

Wearing // You are wearing mostly 12 month items now, with a few 9 month onesies as our 12 month collection isn't very big! But I do think the majority of your pants are just 9 months, and seeing as you are in the 24th percentile for length, I'd imagine you'll be wearing those for a little while longer. 

Loving // Honestly you just love life! You love to eat. And I love watching you try new things. You love exploring the house and scooting around on the hardwood floors on your tummy and your bottom and you somehow always manage to get yourself stuck under a chair, the couch, or a table or something. It's pretty funny! You love stroking our faces and you and Jack have started interacting ALOT! Jack loves to feed you food and play peek a boo with you and he loves to bring you your favorite toys and bounce you in your bouncer. I think you are really starting to like him!

Loathing // Another month of me not knowing what it is that you actually loathe. But I can write about the things that make you cry...you cry when you're hungry for milk or for food and you get fussy when you're tired. I suppose all of those are fairly normal! You cry when Jack is in your face and just loud. You use to be really easily startled, and now you are probably just use to it, but quite often he literally comes up to your face and just yells. Not very kind I know, we're working on that. You cry when Jack is especially rough with you...like when he pushes you down when you're sitting up and your head bangs on the floor or when he sits on your back when you're on your tummy. I don't blame you, I'd cry too little buddy. So basically you don't really like when Jack is a bully and I don't like it either...again we're working on that.  

Doing // You are moving around alot! Still not crawling properly, but getting around a fair bit. You can go from sitting to your tummy and from your tummy to your back and from your back to your tummy. And at your 9 month check up, your Dr. commented on how good your posture was...think she was impressed with your sitting up position especially since your head is so darn big! I'm sorry about that. Think you might have your dad to blame for that one.  

Milestones // You have six teeth - four on top and two little ones on the bottom.We spent alot of time with Tutu and Guppy (AKA my parents) this past month, and you are such a good little muffin with everyone we leave you with. The biggest milestone was the long stretches of sleep you've been giving us! Thank you for that sweet boy! Now if only I could get myself to bed earlier.