Girlie's Tenth Month

It has been a month of growth and milestones. She cut her two front teeth just in time for Christmas! She took a break from trying to crawl and stand at the beginning of the month and decided to clap instead. We have been clapping about everything since then. She claps when she sees or hears others clapping or when we say, "yay!" It is a very proper clap too. She holds her left hand out in front of her and claps with her right hand. If she's tired, she tries to suck her thumb while she claps.
She also learned to sit herself up on her own from laying down. She first demonstrated this milestone right after I told someone she had not yet done it. She still likes to prove her mommy wrong. I was hoping it was going to just be from the womb...
She saved her big milestone for the end of the month: she started crawling yesterday evening! She went for the remote control while hanging out with Robert. Fortunately, he called me into the living room (I was in the kitchen cooking dinner) so I could see it too. We were a very content family sitting down to our slightly cool dinner last night.
She also had a blast celebrating her first Yule and Christmas. She enjoyed opening and playing with all of her gifts. I don't know if it's all the excitement, the milestones, or just a change in pattern, but she has started to take long naps during the day. They last an hour or two as opposed to her usual 30 to 45 minute naps.
The funniest thing she has started doing this month is holding on to something new and growling/yelling with excitement. There have been many opportunities for that expression of excitement this holiday season.

Teeth!

Her length has now surpassed the width of the crib.

The Stink Eye!

10 months already?!

This is exhausting work!

Peeking around Daddy!

Time out for teething on the crib!

Think fast!

Sticking her tongue out helps her to pull up.

Tongue! 

Tongue!

No body knows the trouble I've seen...

Girlie's Ninth Month

She cut her second tooth and pulled herself up to standing early this month. She has been wanting to stand ever since. She's been working on crawling but she can't figure out how to get that second leg behind her when she moves from sitting onto hands and knees. She celebrated her first Halloween and first Thanksgiving this month. She has also really started to feel the separation anxiety, which means people had to be patient and let her adjust before holding her over the holidays.
Dr. Sears says that human gestation is 18 months, but we are born after 9 months because the head is so big. I really believe that, because I feel like I have a newborn again with her clinginess, need to nurse, and sleep patterns. Also, she seems a little more equipped to be in this world now that she can eat a wide range of foods, move herself about (pretty quickly for a non-crawler), has a healthy fear of strangers, and just has more awareness and interactive capabilities than she did nine months ago.

Girlie's Eighth Month

This kid is such a delight who is more fun with each month. She's sitting really well independently, which just makes everything so much easier for me and exciting for her. It allows her to be part of the action now. It also makes going out and about much easier.
Her first tooth came in yesterday, and her second is not far behind.