9 months!

I'm so boring. I say it every month (well, every 11th of the month since I don't seem to ever post on her actual "month birthday") - she's already 9 months!? What?!!? But truly, we believe it when we are shocked every time she's a month older. Her personality continues to shine through and we're so proud of the little big girl she's becoming. A few interesting Hadley points as of late...

• I have no idea how much she weighs but I know she's over 20 now b/c my arm feels like it's going to fall off if I hold said beef cake for more than 5 minutes without changing arms.
• She's also getting taller b/c now almost nothing 9 months fits unless it's NOT a onsie. Again, no trip to the doctor for a well check or anything until the end of the month so we'll just go with growing like a weed child status there.
• Gross motor: 
• Hadley pulls to a stand with ease. Just today she was gaining confidence on going back the other way (to the floor) but it's a slowwww process of careful hand reeeaaaacccchhhhing and then plopping a little on the floor. 
• Hadley crawls where ever she wants to go but isn't the lightning fast speed baby that I thought she'd be by now. Mostly she gets distracted by something or changes her mind and pulls herself up on the nearest taller-than-her thing. She crawls "better" with pants on than shorts. I don't think she likes the floor on her bare legs. 
• Fine motor: she picks up food (and dirt she finds on my floor, say what?!) and things with her thumb and forefinger. She can feed herself when she's in the mood but she's a smart one, she is, and will know to just wait me out since her sister is usually begging to be excused from the table b/c while I'm feeding Hadley baby food, trying to stuff my face with anything on my plate, and then feeding Hadley table food, I'll wait for a few seconds before just shoving it in for her. Maybe this is more pronounced when Adam is traveling as he is this week.
• Hadley says "mamamamama" and "dadadadadadad" but like her sister, she said mamama first but now very much prefers dadadadada. 
• She signs/gestures more, sometimes milk, working on all done, so big, hi/bye, sort of blows kisses g'night, waves all the time, and maybe more that I can't think of at the moment b/c I'm tired and it's getting late. 
• Hadley went through a period of "stranger danger" but was great this past weekend with all her family she doesn't see as often as we'd all like. She stayed with my mom almost the entire time at church on Sunday and easily went from one person to the next. It helped when we were in view, of course.
• She now sits in a "big girl car seat" which is actually the same one as Morgan has although it's rear facing. It's a million times better and she seems to enjoy it so much more. 
• Hadley's little personality just shines now. She's a happy baby who still only has two bottom/front teeth and is now even with her sister there, as Morgan got those teeth on her 9 month birthday (yesterday for Hadley). 
• Hadley eats baby food (baby oatmeal) including pureed fruits/veggies. After she's had a good amount of that stuff at a meal, then she has tiny bite sized table food and loves it. Favorites include cheese, chicken, kielbasa, potatoes, crackers, and anything I can mash into acceptable baby-like textures. 
• She LOVES her big sister and with all this mobility, we're now starting to teach Morgan that she can't push/pull things away from Hadley, including Hadley herself. :) 

I'm out for now. If I think of anything earth-shattering I'll add it later. Enjoy the pictures from the 9 month photo shoot. It was a doozy if there ever was one. :) I'm adding in the outtakes b/c they made me giggle. Can you tell I'm tuckered out? Happy 9 months, baby Hadley. We love you so much!

Hadley 9 months, Morgan almost 35 months

and then came /d/

So toDAY Hadley came home saying "dadadadadadadadadaaaaa!"

She continues to be our cluster baby and waits to do things until she's going to do them all big in a cluster at once. She now pulls herself up on everything (thus increasing mom's anxiety at times 10x when I'm in another room and can see her while my hands are ridiculously full).

Off to WI tomorrow! Baby Teegan gets baptized on Sunday and we're spending some quiet time at my dad's all day Saturday (except for the run in the "cold" weather I'm going to take and the potential trip to Kohls while the girls nap in the afternoon - waaahhttt!!?! Mommy time!??! HA HA HAAAAA!)

Princess Fairy Morgan

Yesterday, we were all playing downstairs in the playroom and Morgan decided she MUST put on every stitch of princess clothing/accessories on that she could find (I must say, the size 2T princess stuff looked pretty hilariouscuteadorable on a size 4/4T child). She NEVER wants to play dress up except for wearing heels (awesome!) so this was almost considered epic as it was her choice and not suggested by anyone. Adam wasn't so sure about the whole thing. ;-) That said, Morgan has asked to wear a skirt every day this week so perhaps we're leaning on the girlie side now? Anyway, then the BEST part was that after she had all her princess/fairy wings gear on, she HAD to golf.

"Mommy, I have to golf now." 

In her heels.
With her fairy wings on.
And her uneven leggings she won't take off EVER since Monday.
She's so great. :)

Somebody found her /m/ sound...

and it's one of the most adorable things I've ever heard - a tiny baby goofy crawling (b/c she just won't let that right knee on the floor for very long before she decides to crawl with her left knee/right foot) while saying, "ma-ma-ma-ma-ma-ma!" She isn't yet putting it to an association with me, but it still warms my heart (and ears) to hear her develop new sounds. Happy, contented SLP mommy tonight. xoxo

I Skip Crawling, HA.

Dear blog readers,

I have taken over mom's blog, oh great Hadley that I am. I have decided a few things:

1. I am going to trick them all and be a crawler for only a few weeks. I will then seriously consider walking as long as my chubby little legs will agree and listen. Yesterday and today I have independently transferred from the couch to my adjacent music table and then today crept/walked around my music table 2x (each taking about 20 minutes) while I played with each activity center on it. I know, I sort of rock. 
2. I am amazing as I now imitate and sometimes use on my own the following signs: more, all done, ball (MYFAVORITETOYOMGosh), milk. The reason this makes me amazing is b/c my mom's eyes get all buggy and excited when I do this and I think I did this earlier/faster/better than my sister. My mom wasn't sure. Either way, when it gets serious, I get more of what I want b/c I can tell them so. ;-)
3. I sleep fairly well at night (except last night and likely tonight b/c I have a cold. Boo.) which my parents thank their lucky stars for every morning they wake up only having to have gotten out of bed 0-2x total. This alone should make me one of the most stunning babies on the planet.
4. I am starting to use more consonant sounds in my babbling. That said, my absolute favorite is to blow raspberries back and forth with Morgan while we both laugh hysterically. 
5. I now rock an adorable (exactly the same as Morgan's) big girl car seat in mom's car. It's still rear-facing but I actually have space while still being comfy and able to sleep well. Even better, my parents got it on sale (would they have bought it otherwise?). Sweet. Just in time for another trip to WI this coming weekend for my cousin, Teegan's, baptism.
6. Ha, ha, DON'T put me in the exersaucer. Yes, I love standing, but being contained is too much and it's only a matter of (short) time before my (silly) parents are forced to put it in the basement to be forgotten until it's garage sale time again or mom brings it to Once Upon a Child. 
7. I have pulled myself to a stand on my own once. It was awesome until I dropped a big dumb toy on my bare foot. That hurt a diaper load. I have now aced being a great half-kneeler but can't seem to get my second leg to cooperate. All in good time. 

I'm tired and need a new diaper. And a big bottle that I'm only planning on drinking half of before I throw it on the floor in an effort to tell Daddy I'm done without using my words. It's been real. Peace out,

Hadley

Big Day at our house

Everyone had a big day today in some aspect or another. One of us had a bigger day than the rest but I'll take days like today any day! (maybe not Adam, however...)

Adam: Had 3 moles and an odd...growth? removed today. He's had the growth for a looonnnggggg time (on his leg, just a small bump) but they decided to finally get rid of it. He's doing ok, but that sort of thing isn't just part of a routine day. He also started prepping our main floor bathroom for new tile! The pedestal sink is removed, trim off, and ready for the (awfuluglyoldscuffedupblah) linoleum to be removed tomorrow! :) WOO! Pictures to come when things are done (hopefully by the end of the long weekend).

Liss: 2 things - 1. visit to the dentist with no cavities - WOO! 2. I have a 94% final schedule for Wilton/Bennett and that feels awesome (except for the fact that all these trainings coming up don't allow for me to get back to said schools until Sept. 10th and 19th GAH).

Morgan: SUPER successful visit to the dentist where she chose the following: a green toothbrush to match her dress, grape toothpaste, and mint flouride. She also requested that she sit on my lap when it was her turn but before that, she was a great kid who played (and sometimes sang to) Pirate School (Jake, of course) while patiently waiting her turn. She was WAY pumped about her goodie bag and still has 20 teeth. She told our awesome hygienist she is going to have a loose tooth soon. If only she knew she likely has to double her age before that happens...Also, she has been an expert Preschool App tester for my iPad and preschool students. :)

Hadley: Major day. She's officially crawling and will (albeit slowly) crawl to where she wants to go at will. She doesn't stay on all 4s for long as she keeps her right knee up in the air, especially when not on the rug in the living room (hello, time for babylegs!!). Secondly, she pulled herself to a stand at one of the toy boxes today! Sadly, she then reached down to pick up a heavy toy and dropped it on her tiny toes. Saddest crying baby ever. Morgan was sweet enough to share her Hello Kitty boo boo freezer pack so Hadley felt better. Instead of putting it on her toes, Hadley chose to feel better by ... you guessed it ... putting it in her mouth. ;-)

Hadley wins the BIG DAY award today! Baby gate up, ready for mobility. Little girl's gettin' big! Enjoy a few cutie pants pics.

The girls playing with the fridge letters (that Hadley pulled off) 

before church last Sunday.

Hadley freaking LOVES avacados.

Sassy Howdie playing with a "dangerous bag!"

Girlies growing up with iDevices...

so different from when we were little!

Hadley enjoying Baby Piano

See? They aren't always in front of a screen. :)

Screens

Sometimes I feel guilty about the amount of time my girls spend in front of a screen (at this point in their tiny lives, it's TV, iPod, and (very recently) my work iPad (under very close supervision). In retrospect, they really don't have lots of time (obviously this is a little different for Hadley as she "watches" TV for 5-20 seconds before something shiny/noisy/more distracting enters her little world).

I thought people were crazy when they said their kids learned from TV shows.*** Back then, though, it was (ack, gag, scream, run) Barney or Sesame Street (this one's legit!) and again, crazy. That said, the shows that are out there now have me on a completely different level in terms of how I feel about my kids and TV/iDevices. Here's why: 

•  TV shows
• Jake and the Neverland Pirates - this one is a spin off of Peter Pan. Three siblings (two boys and a girl) are on an island (without their mother?!) and get through a myriad of adventures in the jungle while trying to outsmart Captain Hook who, let's face it, is not the brightest crayon in the box. Morgan loves this show so much that we're using it as the theme for her 3rd birthday party. Thank you birthday close to Halloween...perfection and eye patches all around. :) 
• Team Umizoomi - This show is about math and it's legit. Morgan has learned about measuring and numbers and will routinely tell us that something is "5 units long" or she's going to be "8 units" big when she's bigger. I love that this show helps her see that numbers have a purpose and can be used SO many ways. And of course, the music is catchy.
• Mickey Mouse - concepts galore along with a goofy hot dog dance at the end. I don't know too many kids who don't like MM so I won't explain this one.
• Go Diego Go - Morgan LOVE LOVE LOVES this show. It's a spin off of Dora (another fave, but she's losing interest b/c it's almost too young for her now) and is about animal rescuing. Morgan rescues ANYthing all the time and there is no "rope like" item that is safe from her using it as a rescue rope. She can tell me things about animals I am shocked she even knows exists.
• Mike the Knight - I'm not sure what the draw is for this show and maybe it's a little more "show-y" than educational, but Morgan loves it and she gets to watch it a few times a week. 
• Doc McStuffins - Morgan freaking loves this show too and I think is what has inspired her to be a "people doctor" which is all she talks about being when she grows up. The little girl is a "doctor" like her mother and heals all stuffed animals in the tri-block area. It's cute and I can sing you the theme song like a champ. 
• Bubble Guppies - this show is equally adorable and educational. The little mer-people go through the whole gammot (sp??) of preK concepts as well as teach about different places to be seen in any given community. A few funnies from this one - their teacher is a big orange fish called Mr. Grouper and Morgan now accidentally calls all ambulances "clambulances" before correcting herself. :)
• Little Einsteins - we don't watch this one tons but it's also AWESOME for right side brain development as they learn SO much about music, travel, and thinking. 
• There are also several shows that I know she watches from PBS at daycare but we haven't ventured into those at home b/c A) she sees them at daycare and B) we have plenty of shows to choose from that I don't think she sees at daycare much anyway. Wild Kratts is a heavy favorite about animals, I know that much. 
• iDevice games
• Peek-a-boo Barn - Hadley enjoys this one (remember, I just introduced her to iDevices this past weekend) as you just tap on the barn door and an animal appears and makes its noise while the girl tells you what it is. Baby perfect.
• Baby Chords - a big little baby piano. Hadley hearts it. Morgan tries to take it over. :) 
• Pirate School - see Jake and the Neverland Pirates above. :) It's fun and a little more advanced than some of the younger apps I have. Bonus - it was free. 
• Facebook - oh wait, that's me...
• ScramblePCS - It's a spelling game that I showed Morgan and if she liked it, great, but it was a little advanced...sure enough, she liked it and rocked it at least for the 3-4 letter words. Sheesh. How did we learn to read when we were little?!
• My PlayHome - this is the coolest thing ever. It's a dollhouse in digital format. Almost everything you touch in this app does something - touch the toaster, toast pops up. Touch the light and it turns on/off. Put the apple by the person's mouth and s/he takes a bite. It's awesome since we don't have a giant dollhouse (much to Adam's delight).
• Alien Buddies - this is a game with little aliens that has quite a few games within it. Matching/IDing numbers, puzzles, letters, the list goes on. This one's great and the background music is fun.
• Letter Quiz - this app is awesome for PreK kiddos. It teaches them how to write their letters and won't put a line in unless you do it the right way. There is also letter/number matching/ID on here but Morgan's past that really, so she just practices writing her letters. 
• Monkey Preschool Lunchbox - Morgan loved this app while she was learning basic concepts and counting. She doesn't play it much anymore but it was great when she needed it. 
• UmiNumbers - see Team Umizoomi above. A game that's full of different ways to use numbers with Milly, Gio, and Bot.
• Angry Birds - shocker - Morgan rocks Angry Birds in Space(she doesn't play it very often but is awesome when she does). It's not easy, either! Dang gravity messin' with my system...

Now that I've listed a hundred things that they watch/see/play/etc on screens, you are thinking all we do is let our kids be in front of a screen. On the contrary, my friend. Sometimes during the summer when it's 900 degrees outside, or if I need a shower during Hadley's a.m. nap, or something else comes up where I need at least one kid to be non-mobile, screen time is an easy go-to (except for Hadley, as she still thinks screens are tasty - fail, they are not).

On a given normal summer day (as I cannot speak for daycare but know that she doesn't watch tons there either and plays all. day. long.), Morgan will watch 1-3 shows (each are only about 23-24 minutes in length) and have maybe 20 minutes in front of an iDevice (all interchangeable). 4 shows = 900 degree day, mom's brinking on insanity, mom needs a shower, daddy's traveling and mom's been home alone all day. Either way, all said and done, I'm thankful that the girls have these things to learn from b/c let's face it - I'm not always a steller mom ;-) and I need that time while they (mostly Morgan) are quiet/still. Thanks, Nick Jr, Disney Jr, and Apple!

***Disclaimer - To each their own about how they choose to let their children spend their time either independently or with them in front of or not in front of a screen. I'm not saying we're right/wrong with how we choose to parent our children, but I'm just offering up what our style is in this aspect of their biglittle lives.