9 Months: Teething Sucks!

 (These pics were take today - so she is actually over 9.5 months.  Oh well.)

 

First, some notable moments from the past month:

3.26.13     We discovered your first tooth, bottom left.  I stuck my finger in one night before bed and there it was!
3.27.13     You started closing your eyes when about to go under water at swimming.  I wonder if you even hold your breath.
3.31.13     Worst night of sleep for everyone, ever.  3 hours of sleep for all of us.  Definitely teething to blame.  You were up screaming and crying all night.  I thought teething wouldn't be that bad, boy was I wrong.  Got my period for the first time since October 2011 (tmi but was something to document!).

We were all set up for shots at Lemon's 9 month appointment but who knew that there weren't any?!  Just a heel prick to check her iron (which was great) and a super long wait (I hate it) but my dad came and Lemon loved being entertained by grandpa.

(This little lady weighed 18.5 pounds, 51%, was 27.5 inches tall, 42%, and has a 17.5 inch head, 66%.)

And, ladies and gentlemen (but really probably just ladies), let me introduce you to the best part of 9 months, the scrunchy face!!  Hard to capture on camera but oh so cute in real life:

Lemon is definitely the busiest of bees.  She can play with her musical table for hours and can open and close that little plastic book over and over without getting board.  Her favorite toys are still just plastic ones, even tupperware, and she loves any two things she can clap together while holding them in each hand.  She likes things that make noise and her two, plastic $1 maracas from Target are a fav as well as daddy's guitar when he puts it down and lets her climb on it. 

 

Sleep was out the window this month.  I don't even think we got a few good nights in, those two teeth were KILLERS.  I thought teething would be smooth, thought our Lemon just wouldn't be bothered, but boy was I wrong.  This little drama queen let those babies keep her up and cause her all sorts of discomfort, even when I was pumping her full of ibuprofen (don't judge!).  Naps have gotten better, a bit more predictable and she can stay up for longer periods between naps and only needs two a day, but that's probably been because her nights were so nutty this month.

(Nursing is still going AWESOME but we still give a bit of formula before bed.  Like I've said before it doesn't seem to help with her sleeping but now it is part of our routine so it stays.  Pumping every day at school is annoying but thank goodness I only have a little over a month left of it!)

This girl eats what we eat now but I give it to her before we spice it up.  And if we are eating something like gluten free philly cheesesteaks, I will give her something more baby-friendly instead like peas, carrots, sweet potatoes, etc.   But she has eaten pulled pork, chicken, hamburger (all organic meats), pizza, pork chops, watermelon, mangos, cheese, gluten free spaghetti, gluten free mac and cheese, yogurt (our kind not the baby kind) - just to name some.  She is interested in eating whatever we are eating and has loved my cottage cheese after school snack.  Her favorites still are bananas, avacados and strawberries but she does love prunes and isn't as interested in oranges as she used to be.  She eats full strawberries now and it is crazy to watch, looks kind of like a zombie eating a liver (have you seen my husband's vine videos?  Follow @spiritbee!).

(clapping)

 

 

Lemon is into everything since she can get all over the house pretty quickly.  She isn't sure yet about crawling after us but can crawl around pretty good in one spot.  She would still rather stand than crawl and wants to touch everything and put it right in her mouth.  She loves packaging, keys and remotes most of all.

Standing with mommy for the first time in the kitchen.  Who knew that those Ikea drawers we picked out would be great for a baby to pull up on (and open) one day!

She loves pulling up on the stove and looking at herself in it.  She even reaches for the handle and tries to hang from it!

 

Spring Break was over this month and we had so much fun being at home with our babe for a whole week.  We were SO busy but so thankful for the time to spend with each other and with her.

 

(meeting Julie!)

Our nephew celebrated his 3rd birthday this month too and Lemon got to have her first taste of gluten free cake!

Oh and her first bouncy house experience (which you know she loves!):

And we got to have lots of cuddly mornings while we were off:

We also went to the Renaissance Festival with my dad for his birthday, one of my favorite places and I love when it comes through Arizona every year! 

Over break I got to take Lemon back to Mommy & Me yoga to see my good friend Peri who teaches it.  I went all the time when I was on maternity leave but since I went back to school, and it's on Tuesday mornings, I missed it so I was happy I got to go!

(Things have definitely changed from one of our last Mommy & Me classes to this one.)

The Play & Music class at Gymboree is still the best and my mom takes her every week.  While I was off, I got to go too and it was so much fun!  She loves banging on the big drum and Miss Susie, the teacher, is her favorite:

(worn out)

This little fishy has LOVED swimming lately.  She yells, laughs and talks the whole time she's in the water, flirts with all of the instructors and talks to all the other babies (who could totally care less that they are swimming).  She freaking loves the water.

And just when I thought teething might be the death of us, my mom took Lemon for a night so we could have a date night!  So, we blew up the tires on our bikes (that we hadn't ridden in years!) and rode to dinner!

And the next day were greeted by a happy, well-rested baby (she sleeps better for my mom, of course):

And then we were off to swim for the first time, not at swimming lessons, in Christine's condo's heated pool!  She had the best time and was SUCH a good baby - she was out in the sun (with sunscreen of course) for hours and Ian said she passed right out when they got home.  I got to stay and swim awhile and I missed being tan!

We even took her out to dinner to one of our favorite places, Barro's (they have gluten free pizza that is DELISH!), and we love the girls who work there.  We went when I was pregnant and wanted to show off the babe but none of them were there when we went!

And Livvy, Melissa's babe (my friend who watches Lemon), turned 1!  We got to make her cake and her birthday was so much fun!  (Did you know we make cakes?)

All dressed for the party in this Children's Place dress I found at Goodwill!

(And we got to see Ann, Ben and Ellie!)

(Livvy made the cutest birthday girl!)

Then it was back to work, but who could leave this face every morning?

But at least Melissa sends me pics of the girls, they are just the cutest!

Bath time is still with daddy but she also loves to take baths alone!

And how could a mama resist the opportunity to take some naked pics!

I found time to get my hair cut over break, go to lots of yoga classes and even catch up on all of my TV shows after baby went to bed!  But it's funny, even when you have the opportunity to stay up late, as parents, you don't because you know at any moment that baby could wake up and you could be up all night!  (Or maybe this is just a problem for parents whose babies don't sleep!)

Ooooooo and how about some $7 leopard jeans from Wal-Mart?!  Yes please!

 
Crazy hair after a cold walk!







 
 

 


(A very sleepy baby in the cutest outfit all the way from Australia!  We love you Katie, Ben and Maggie!)


 
(Who is afraid of stuffed animals?!) 

Lemon is turning into a super active, headstrong little lady and it is getting harder and harder to leave every day to go to work.  We are counting down the days until summer break (May 23rd) so that we can enjoy every, single moment with her!  We love you baby girl!

This post covers from my 8 month post up until her 9 month shots on April 5th - so some milestones Lemon has hit since then I am saving for her 10 months post.