A week of Christmas

     This has been a crazy week of visits and visitors.
Monday: Monday, we went to my mom's house for Christmas. We waited for the bus for 30 mins, apparently that's how long it took for it to leave the mall. We made it, and so did my older brother who we've not talked to in years. It was very informal, presents and pizza. Kaelynn got a Glo-Worm from Grandma. I love it. Uncle Eric also gave her her first LITTLE PEOPLE.
Tuesday: Daddy and aunt Sarah had to go to work, but in the afternoon, everyone came over to our place for dinner. Great grandparents, great aunts and second cousins (plus a boyfriend). Food was good, company was pleasant. Kaelynn got a doll she is a bit too young for, but we found hilarious. It's a potty training doll that sings and has a bottle. She decided she wanted the bottle. She also received her first sled from her great grandparents and great aunt Jen.
Wednesday: We stayed in our pjs all day and opened eachothers gifts. Daddy got us large penguins and a deer. We got her THE HUNGRY PELICAN, because she has an obsession with feeding people. I think she likes it.
Thursday: Boxing day. We did Christmas with my dad. Breakfast and shopping. I got deals on her birthday gifts. We also had Dad get us a together gift. We got a toy organizer. This little baby has a lot of toys.
Friday: Today, we hung out with a best friend from out west who is home for the holidays. She loved the hugging mugs I got her and I loved the "my first fish bowl" toy she got Kaelynn. They go well with her pelican. I love the hedgehogs she crocheted me. We did some running around and errands, I got a cactus garden from the toy store (hello plants) and other baby things needed (baby booties and little people BEAUTY & THE BEAST). My other friend and her family dropped by to drop off gifts: piano for baby and donut maker for mama.
Saturday: to be announced. We have a play date in the country with friends.

*many things missing because it's 10:40pm and I am in bed. Kaelynn keeps waking up every hour in the night. Not cool baby girl. Not cool.

Human bean

I'm currently trying to crochet loot bag favours for her bday party in February. I've had to give little miss one of the bands to play with while I get things done. She is currently taking it for a walk, babbling, and trying to feed it to me.
I am taking breaks and just watching her.
I just love her so. Sometimes, my heart breaks. Sometimes, I still cry because I love her so.
Moments like now, when she won't give kisses, but will lean in when you make kissey sounds so she can laugh at your face when you kiss her head.
This little human bean of mine is turning into a real flower.
I feel complete.

10 Months

     Holy! We're almost at a year! You're growing too fast.
   

      There are no words except "yea" "ma" "da" "kikki". There are no signs of teeth. But...we have walking. She started to take steps, and is slowly gaining momentum. With the big, shiny tree up and a toddler (before she is one), there is a lot of "no" being said.

9.9 months

8.9 months

     She is learning cause and effect. She will head butt me in the nose, I will be in pain. She will look directly at me and do it again. She will touch something, you say "no", then she will look at you and do it again. Along the same lines, she loves the game Peek-a-Boo. She's too smart. She will look around to see you, remove the blanket, or just wait.

     We're finally in age appropriate sizes of clothing. I am loving using her smaller diaper shirts as shirts with the tails all undone - she then reminds me of a penguin.

   

Big steps

     In the past 2 days, there have been some big milestones.

     Kaelynn has her first cold. She's so congested and snotty.
I feel so bad for her. Nursing is hard, sleeping is hard, wiping her nose is hard.
She is in very good spirits.
    
     Last night, she took her first steps! We're not fully counting them - daddy missed them (and got sad) and I only saw half of her. Grandpa Mike saw them.
     After dinner, aunt Sarah held her hands and took her for a walk around the dining room. I went to the kitchen to put stuff away. From the corner of my eye I see a tuft of pony tail waddling into the kitchen. I thought Sarah was still holding her hand. I'm all "what are you doing?!" as I walk around the kitchen wall. I see she is by herself. "Come to mommy. Walk to mommy". She then falls into a crawl and has the biggest pout/cry face. I scoop her up and snuggles are had.

Snow, strollers, and babywearing

    We've had our first real dumping of snow lastnight. Before breakfast, we went out to play it. I knew we would have a long day before it got dark. I made sure we got at the white stuff before the dog or other kids.
     Kaelynn was unsure. She didn't like it to begin with. I placed her sitting in the snow, but she fell over backwards and was unhappy. I picked her up and put her on her belly. She was upset because she couldn't crawl. I decided to make a quick snowman before we went back inside. She loved watching me roll quick, lumpy balls and listening to me explaining what I was doing.
     This afternoon, we went out with my dad in search of more picture frames. By the time we got home, she was passed out.
Aunt S and I had planned on going to the mall when I got home. She was still asleep, so I plunked her carseat into her stroller, just so we could make it to the bus on time. No sense waking a sleeping baby. She would have woken up mad as a wet cat.
Unthinking, we found out the sidewalks weren't plowed. I had the handles, S had the bumper and we carried her through the snow. At least for the bus home, we took a different route that dropped us at the other entrance of our neighbourhood.

9 Month Check Ups

     Thursday was a busy day. Kaelynn had 2 doctors appointments. First stop, her 9 month check up.
   
     Her 9 month appointment went well. Everything is going up, and she's healthy.

    Weight: 16.7 lbs 

Height: 67cm

     Next stop was her ultra sound for her neck. The tech was telling us that she had never seen a baby return, until that day. For the one side of her neck, she was asleep. For the good side of her neck, she was awake and having none of it. The tech again, told us what she was seeing on her screen - after she went to talk to her doctor. There is nothing to be worried about, the muscles are slowly loosening and in the words of the doctor "it takes time".

9 Months

                                 

   9 Months in

9 Months out

     Nine months have passed already and so much has happened. Through the stress of tantrums, teething, growth spurts, and moving, I love you so much.

    Next Thursday, she has her 9 month appointment and ultrasound, so measurements then.

Everyday, we're getting closer to walking. Her favourite thing at the moment is to try to free stand and walk around the furniture. I even had to go to LOWES and buy pipe insulation to wrap around the coffee table, just need to get tape since she keeps ripping it off and waving it around.

     She is loving all types of food, basically we are off purees. She is eating bits of our dinner, or if it's inappropriate for a  baby I make her something special. When it comes to snack time, she loves to share: a bite for her, a bite for me (this actually applies to anything as she just tried to stick a fake icecube in my mouth). 

    Her favourite activity, aside from walking, is blowing raspberries. The more the spittle, the better the raspberry. She loves if you blow them back to her too. She has a quirky tongue too - it goes sideways. 

      Her hair is growing and growing. More than not, it's "styled" in a unihorn. It's long in front and long in back, but putting it in a big girl ponytail, it falls out. 

     We are working on separation anxiety. She freaks out if I am not around or in eye-shot. If I happen to not be around, she is fine..but if I come into the room, she freaks out. We had a date night at the movies and my mom watched her. She freaked out for an hour, napped, and freaked out again.  I fed her before we left and left snacks with my mom. She devoured them, and still wanted more. In 3 hours, she needed all the snacks. I've heard S.A lasts about 2 months, I am hoping this is true. Sometimes, I feel like I am losing my mind. Even if I love her so. 

     To semi deal with the S.A (and all  the stairs in the new house), I purchased an Ergo carrier. All the babies shall be worn, plus it puts her to sleep when I'm doing chores.