Sweet Baby Cheeks and Papa's Love

Miss Scarlett is Nine Months Old

Nine months ... my goodness, I can hardly believe it!   I can't believe this little bundle of energy known as "Miss Scarlett" was a tiny newborn who was content being swaddled and held tight.  A tiny newborn who slept throughout the day. 

Just today, she cut her third tooth - her first tooth on top.  Looks like the tooth next to it will break through shortly, too.

These days, Scarlett is a VERY busy little baby.  She is crawling all over the place - I have a hard time keeping up with her. And despite our best efforts, she continually finds things to put her her mouth.  She's got an eagle eye and even finds individual hairs that have fallen out of my hair and puts them in her mouth.  One particular favorite of Scarlett's is paper - any paper.  Might be the news paper, or a magazine, or a business card ... a receipt, a price tag, a box flap.   If it's paper, she wants it in her mouth.

She pulls herself to standing on whatever she can find.  ANd the way she's progressing with extending her legs while her hands are on the grrown (if you're familar with yoga, think the "downward dog pose"), I am quite certain that by the end of the year, she'll be walking.

Scarlett continues to object to sleeping.  She now naps approximately under an hour in the morning and under an hour in the afternoon.  I have to time it just right ... if I put her down to nap and she isn't at a certain level of fatigue - it is a lost cause.  She gets so upset over being put down that she's no longer tired. 

Her overnight schedule hasn't changed at all.  I know that some older babies just don't sleep through the night, it is simply how they are. So we've accepted that our princessa is just going to be waking up.

And here's a face we see a lot.  Perhaps it is because she doesn't sleep much, but Scarlett gets upset over lots of things, like ... if she's sitting up and loses her balance - she gets upset.  If she's standing and for some reason can't figure out how to stop standing - she gets upset.  If she bonks her head on something, no matter how gently - she gets upset.  She gets upset, like clockwork, shorlty after 6:00pm. 

Scarlett is eating better.  We're now giving her "stage 3" baby food which is thicker, chunkier and more flavorful.   She only take a few bites per meal, but at least we've figured out what she likes and we can build on it.  She also realy likes to eat "puffs" (think Cheerios that are more "airy").   And she really likes to drink water - either through her own infant sippy cups, Christian's big-kid cups with lids, a straw, or though a regular cup/glass that we hold for her.  

For Scarlett's nine month doctor appoitment, we tried a new doctor - Dr. Pyle - who is at a new health care faility that just opened in our community.   It was nice to see a doctor is a three minute drive from our house.  We ddin't even have to get on the freeway.

Dr. Pyle is VERY nice, as his his staff.  Unlike our now-former doctor. he asked plenty of questions about Scarlett, and invited me to ask questions, too.  He's got three daughters himself, including an 11 month old baby ... and I just feel we're in good hands with him.  

We've had numerous people comment on how Scarlett is, so I ashed Dr. Pyle about her size.  He said she seems bigger than she is because of her large head.  He reviewed her growth statistics and though she's on the very small side, he's not concerned.  I mentioned I'm only 5'3", and Jonathan is only 5'7" and so Dr. Pyle just conceded Miss Scarlett is simply a petite baby.  He didn't even suggest a regular weight check (which some small babies need to have), and said he doesn't need to see her again until her 12 month exam.

Nine Months:

Weight:  15 lbs, 11.9 oz (5th percentile)
Length:  25.25 inches (1st percentile ... 99% of female babies Scarlett's age are longer than she is!)
Head:  18 inches (90th percentile)

Six Months:
Weight: 14 lbs, 7 oz (5th percentile)
Length: 24.25 inches (5th percentile)
Head: 17 1/4 inches (85th percentile!)

Four Months:
Weight: 12 lbs, 6.5 oz
Length: 23.75 inches
Head: 16.5 inches

Two Months:
Weight: 9 lbs, 15 oz
Length: 21 inches
Head: 15.5 inches

One Month:
Weight: 8 lbs, 9 oz
Length: 21.25 inches
Head: 14.75 inches

Birth: Weight:
7 lbs, 5 oz
Length: 19 inches

Curious about Christian at nine months?

http://theluceros.blogspot.com/2008/08/christian-turns-nine-months-old.html

Simple Pleasures

Not much slows Miss Scarlett down these days ... except curiosity about curtians blowing in the breeze.



Papa, Scarlett and the Swimming Lessons

Today Papa went swimming with Scarlett so I could have a chance to sit out and watch both kiddos in their lessons.

Jonathan's first time putting Scarlett under.  He was a wee bit nervous about it.

 

Scarlett's cute little prune feet. :)

The Toy Box

Our Miss Scarlett pulls herself to standing on practically anything she can.  She discovered Christian's box of toys, and has far more interest in his toys than her own toys.

And just look at those chunky thighs!  I love 'em!

Scarlett and Papa

Scarlett longs for the day she can play outside in cooler temperatures.

Soon, baby girl ... very soon.

A Growing Princess

Wow!  Our Little Princessa is on fire these days!  Seems each days, she's progressing so much that I can hardly keep up with her!

She's moved from her Bumbo Seat to the full-sized high chair.  Not sure how much of that food made it into her mouth, but she sure loved to play with it!

She'd been pulling herself to a somewhat standing position when Jonathan and I would lay next to her on the floor.  But then I looked, and she'd pulled herself to a full standing position!

Last night, we gave her some watermelon in a mesh baggie (since she gags so easily).  And she thought that was pretty tasty, until ...

I brought out the mashed potatoes.  I made them really thick so she could pick them up herself and she loved them!  She gaged quite a bit, but we gave her some water (straight from a regular cup, thank you very much!) and she never threw up.

Today I put her in her crib at naptime and wondered why she was so happy and quiet:  she was playing with the curtains and paper blinds.  Of course, now that they are within reach, we'll have to come up with a new setup.  Her crib is in a corner where she's got windows on both sides.

Obviously, we'll need to lower the mattress in her crib!

Scarlett also loves her water.  We've got numerous sippy cups for her to use - I realized I didn't need to get her cups for younger babies when I saw she was able to drink from Chrsitain's cup that is similar to a tall, insulated travel coffee mug.  So I got her a shorter version.   She also amazed us when she drank from a straw recently.   Amazed us becuase we simply couldn't get Christian to do that - and Granny was able to teach him how to suck through a straw when he was two months shy of turning 2+.

Overall, Scarlett is doing things much more quickly than Christian did, which is really no surpirse:  it is well-known that girls progress more quickly than boys at this age.  Christian didn't have this level of mobility (Scarlett crawls all over everything ... she does not like to stay still ... like EVER).  And I feel quite certain that she'll be walking by year's end - before she's even one.   Mark my words ... :)

Voila! Miss Scarlett Sits Up on Her Own

I knew it was coming ... I saw the signs.  And finally, today, Miss Scarlett sat up by her self.  She was laying on the floor, got up on her hands and knees and started rocking and a few moments later, she was sitting up.

Aw, these milestones happen so quickly - and I am so blessed to be at home and see them as they take place.

Miss Scarlett is Eight Months Old

Whoooooooooooooooo time is passing by quickly!  Our Miss Scarlett is now eight months old!

She still doesn't know a stranger.  Anybody can hold her, and she's good with it.  I think fear of strangers starts to happen at around nine months.  My hope is that she's so used to unknown people holding her that she'll just skip that phase. :)

She's been eating better, though still not much.  She'll take about four bites, or so, of any food we offer her. Slow progress, but progress nonetheless.

She tends to get upset if she sees me come into a room, or hears my voice.  So if Jonathan is playing with her by himself, she is typically find and dandy until she sees Mommy and then the tears begin.  But overall, I'd say she's a pretty good-natured baby.   We tend to go a lot of places, and she handles it like a champ.  Sure, she's got her moments of discontent, but don't we all? :)

She's still not sleeping through the night.  In fact, she seems to be waking up MORE now to eat overnight.  I'm certain it is because she's just not eating enough solid food during the day to accommodate her growth.  She's got plenty of chunky baby rolls, so I'm not concerned about her intake ... I'd just like her to have more solid foods.  We'll keep trying.

Christian and Scarlett continue to absolutely adore each other.  When she sees him, her face lights up.  He likes to get in her face and makes these noises that would get on my nerves as an adult, but they get her to smiling, so that encourages him do do more.   What I love to see is when they are both in the living room together and I'm in the kitchen making dinner, and I look to see that Christian is sitting or laying next to Scarlett and he's got his arm around her and she's perfectly happy.  Ah, those are the moments that melt a Mommy's heart! :)