Nine Months Old

Lainey is now nine months old and such a stinker. She is a joy, very strong willed, super funny, loving to those she trusts love her, into everything and finally sleeping through the night! WOO HOO! This month Lainey got three teeth, started saying, "up" on a consistent basis, started saying "de de" when talking to her daddy, took her first steps (although she is not walking yet), and started eating several new foods. She also got roseola and was sick for about a week. That was tough. She is much better now and looking forward to lots of fun in the next few weeks. It has rained a lot lately so we haven't gotten to swim as much as mommy would like. After her doctor's appointment today we plan to go. At her doctor's visit last week she was 18 lbs. I thought she weighed more than that, but she is so busy all of the time I guess she has slowed down. She wears a size three diaper and nine month or six to twelve month clothes. We still have not bought diapers since Lainey was born, but if she doesn't grow soon we may have to. We are almost out of size threes. I am so glad we stockpiled diapers and wipes before she was born! It is been wonderful for our weekly budget and being on one income.

Lainey eats 3 meals and a snack of baby food/finger foods each day and nurses 4-5 times. Our naps have gotten worse rather than better. I have been making Lainey have "rest time" for almost a month now for about an hour a day. I put her in her crib asleep, but she wakes up as soon as I lay her down. I set the timer for an hour and our super strong willed child screams for an hour. I feel bad, but that is the only hour I have a day so I have to shower, clean, make baby food, work for Dr. H, etc... it is what we have to do at this point. I'm hoping she gets used to being in there soon and starts sleeping. However, it's been a month so I don't know that it's going to happen. As soon as I pick her up she usually falls asleep on me again and I just hold her. At that point in our day she needs to rest or we are all miserable so I just hold her. She always wants to nurse and I refuse to give into that. This girl is going to be so hard to wean.

I pray daily for wisdom when it comes to raising her. She is such a precious girl, but needs very little rest and tons of love and affection. I guess all babies do, but if she is not walking or playing I am holding her all day. We have started time outs for fits and I've had to pop her on the hand or foot several times already. She knows she is throwing a fit and  stops as soon as she gets her way. This is not something I thought we would be dealing with this early, but it needs to be dealt with so we don't have a terror as a toddler/older child. 

We love the blessing of being parents. It is so wonderful, but it also challenges us more than we ever imagined! It is so great to have the Christian friends that we do because our village is the best around! We are truly thankful for them and the love they show us. Here are a few pictures of our big nine month old girl! Love her to pieces!