9 Months {of Harper Lovin'}

Harper Alan turned 9 Months on June 29, 2012.  Crazy!

Here's what our big girl is up to:

Weight: 17lbs 11oz. {29%} 
Height: 27 1/4 {40%}
Head: 45 cm {78%}
Diapers: size 2, Nighttime size 3
Clothes: can wear 6 months or 3-6 months, am going to wash and try the 9 month clothing I have!

Food: Still on Similac Alimentum and takes 26 oz. a day. Harper was a great eater until about a week ago. Now she's all of a sudden basically refusing to eat?! Who knows. But she was eating cereal twice a day, fruit twice a day, and a veggie 1-2 times a day.  Harper has eaten a few real fruits that have been cut up - watermelon, strawberries, and cantelope.  The doctor told us to start soft table foods since H seems to want to be an independent eater!

Teeth: H has her two bottom teeth, but we found out she's teething with her two top teeth at the appointment!

Sleep: Harper goes to bed around 8-8:30 and sleeps between 7:45-8:10.  She's pretty much on a nighttime routine and if it's at all off it results in crying out for about 10-30 minutes in the middle of the night or having a hard time going down (resulting in CIO, which I hate).  It's so weird to me that she can't tell time, yet we can put her to bed 20 min. late and she knows?!?!?  As far as naps, we get one good one in the morning (good for her - 1/1/2 to 2 hours) and the afternoon nap is touch and go.

Activities/New Things: Harper still loves being out and about.  She is SO stinking good and it just warms my heart to not have to worry.  She is a 'creeper' though and just stares at new people or the table beside us in a restaurant! ha!  She loves to be around other kids and is just fascinated by watching them, too.  She loves her cousins and gets to be around them lots and we've made a few new friends for her at her Gymboree class.  Her favorite thing to do is still CLIMB. The girl is a monkey.  Too bad I have had her b-day theme planned since she was 4 months or I would have totally changed it to a monkey theme!!!! She absolutely has no fear and climbs anything and everything.  She squeals with delight and gets so proud of herself!  Harper has also gotten VERY good at standing on her own.  Since she was very young she has preferred to stand and play with a toy rather than sit, so this is not surprising.  She's got great balance and can stand, stand holding a sippy cup or toy, or push off from the ground and stand.  Harper has taken a few steps without holding on, but falls quickly.  I'm not trying to push her into being an early walker. :)  She does love to walk with you holding her hands and is kind of fast!  She also loves her walker toys the best. Sometimes I hide those for a little while. Whoops.  She also loves banging toys together and the noise doesn't bother her at all! Harper is also a huge fan of the pool and loves to splash and kick - but she gets very upset if she is splashed in the face!  Another new thing is that she has found her hair! She pulls and tugs on her hair a lot. It's pretty funny...except...she's starting to rip out her bows! Agh!! I keep telling her she will look like a boy, but it doesn't seem to upset her in the least. :)

Talking/Understanding: Harper used to say Dada and Mama, but now, pretty much everything is Mama. She does say Mama with meaning, but she also says it all.the.time. Remember the night waking...she loves to say it then! :)  Did anyone else feel at this age so weird that your baby is like a human being? I mean, she actually understands things we say and I just think it's so weird.  Right now, we are working on listening skills (haha). So, I tell her to go get her book and bring it to me AND SHE DOES. I tell her to crawl up the ramp at class AND SHE DOES. When she is getting into something she shouldn't (like the fireplace) I tell her "Not for Harper" and she turns to look at me and stops. WEIRD. It kind of freaks me out but I love it.  She's so real! HAHAHA  She is back to loving her books (we took a hiatus because she never would sit still).  She especially loves the flap books or button books.  She remembers where each button is or flap is on each page and squeals with delight when it's her turn.  We also have this barn book that makes animal sounds and she makes a sound after each button. Too cute!  She makes a "brrrr" sound with her mouth a lot. Usually when she is motoring around with her walker or crawling. It sounds hilarious.

Personality: I love my girl's personality and disposition, but I think it's changed in this month.  I am not sure if it's the age and that they are starting to have more stranger anxiety or if it's that she's with me all the time instead of her sitter - but she is very clinging to me.  {doc said it was totally normal for this age and expected} She would once go to anyone but now she has to warm up to almost everyone.  She used to instantly smile at anyone but now, again, she sometimes takes more time to warm up.  I really hope this changes. I honestly do not want her to be shy! I was such a shy kid and it's so hard!  But all in all, she's a super happy -full of life girly and I couldn't honestly ask for a better baby! I know I am blessed!
... and on that note I will tell you we think she's already throwing TANTRUMS! For real? Does this happen this early?!  When she has to get a diaper change it is like the end of the world.  She throws her head and body back and bawls until it is over or tries to crawl away. I mean, who wants to sit in their poop all day?Not me. I'm getting better with the art of distraction {aka letting her eat my cell phone} but I think it is just redonkulous. Again, doc says it's normal for a super mobile baby like Harper.

What do we do with our Time?:  Well pretty much every day is an adventure. We play at home, usually go shopping somewhere, go to the pool, or go to a friend's house. We also do lunch dates with others..and just the 2 of us, too! :)

And here's her pics...sooo not like they used to be!!!!! :(