12 - 3 = NINE!!!

Today marks 9 months. 9 BIG MONTHS.

HOLY MOLY!

So we went to the pediatricians this morning.

Our current measurements stand at:

14 pounds 14 ounces

 and

25.5 inches long

After discussing with the pediatrician my concern of his size we determined that some human error had occurred while measuring his height, but because he's gaining weight and almost back ON the curve she wants to monitor it a little closer and then reevaluate at his one year appointment. 

So, we're going to go get measurements done every month and at his year check up we will determine what to do from there.

Today we also decided to officially START weaning! I know my ultimate goal was to get to a year, but it has been a tough road to get this far, and we want to start trying for another baby soon, so I'm going to be just a TAD selfish and request that my body be my own for just a few months. 

I know. I'm a TERRIBLE human being.

Get over it.

On the plus side, starting the Baby Dean on formula will also help him gain weight AND maybe, just maybe, we will be sleeping through the night in a month or so.

He only wakes about once a night now, and our pediatrician told me that as this age, it's not a behavioral thing. If he's waking to eat and go back to sleep, he needs it, so keep doing it. 

And that's fine by me, I can deal with waking up once a night to make sure my little boy is ok. One day I'll miss him waking me up.

We also talked with the pediatrician about his stranger anxiety.

He has major fits when other people hold him besides Dean or I.

The pediatrician told us this is completely normal and actually a good thing.

She said around 9 months is when stranger anxiety really starts to peak. Whether he sees you every week or not, he doesn't see you daily like Dean and I, therefore he is fearful of you and he only wants us.

She said ways to help with this is when coming around him, you have to almost acknowledge but ignore him. Don't immediately try to pick him up or be touchy touchy. Wait a few minutes to allow him to warm up to you and remember you, then you can try to hold him or play with him.

She said even with this, and you're holding him, if we walk by, he could've been completely fine, but he will immediately start to scream for us. It's a reflex. You feel more comfortable in your own home on your own couch than on others. Babies usually feel more comfortable and relaxed in their parent's arms than others. 

She said we should be worried if he didn't do this because children with autism treat everyone equally, and have no preference of Mom and Dad over others.

She also said that this will continue for quite a while. At around 18 months, he will probably stand behind us when going around others. He may peak around to watch you until he's warmed up, but it's just like being shy. 

So. If Baby Dean screams when you try to hold him, be patient. Don't allow your feelings to be hurt. Don't blame me that he likes me more (I AM his mother after all!)

Our kid is healthy, and that's a good thing. 

So his accomplishments at nine months old include:

*Crawling on all 4s. (no more army crawl)

*Pulling himself to stand and sitting back down

*Getting into a sitting position from crawling and vice versa

*Walking along furniture (holding on to the furniture he can walk)

*Saying "Da Da"

*Knowing who is DaDa and who is Mama

*CLIMBING THE STAIRS

*Drinking out of a sippy cup

I feel like there is more, but I can't think of them right now.

Here's our 9 month pictures from this afternoon.

SO BIG! 

(yet little at the same time)

Today was a BIG day.

Today was a big day for our house.

If you know Dean and I at all, you know that during the course of our entire marriage (and majority of our relationship all together), Dean has worked overnights. 

This means him being gone from around noon on day one and not coming back until around around 4-5pm on day five.

It's been difficult, and long. 

To say I'm excited to go to sleep next to my husband every night is an understatement. 

I'm excited to be able to make the bed every day, and get chores done during the day instead of being up until 1 AM getting them done.

I'm excited to have my husband back on a normal schedule and not have to keep killing his body switching his sleep schedule.

I'm excited for Dean to be here to put the baby to bed every night, and for the ability to come home for lunch and for us to be able to visit him while he's at work.

I'm just SO excited. 

An update on the baby: He has TWO teeth! TWO!

We have our 9 month well child visit on his actual 9 month birthday so we'll get accurate standings on size. 

Everyone keeps telling me how small he is and how he doesn't look like a 9 month old, and I'm not going to lie, it worries me. It's not like he was a premie, we went two weeks past our due date for crying out loud. He was an average size baby at birth, and eats 3 meals a day, and nurses 3-4 times a day and at least once at night. 

Dean says I shouldn't worry because he was tiny when he was little, but I still can't help to. 

I'll let you know what the pediatrician says at his check-up.

Fingers crossed everything is ok, and fingers crossed she gives the go-ahead to start weaning and transitioning to whole milk... because we're both ready.