What's Yours is Mine and What's Mine is...Lame

Do you know how many toys you have??  I mean, I think I have like 4 ropes....outside.  You have baskets, closets, and a basement full of noisy, big, colorful toys.  But what do you prefer?? Anything other than that.  It started out that toys were so fun for you, and dad.  He loves to put stuff together so the bigger the toy the better (ok maybe I misrepresented dad's thoughts a tad).

Lately, all you love are things around the house that are OURS.  My leash, collar, bowls, utensils, shoes, hairballs, strings.  Oh, and bags of stuff, you're in it.  But your favorite item would be my food and water bowl, or as you like to think of it...a swimming pool.

Keeping up with you is hard work these days.

Love,

Nelson

DIY Girl

9 months has sure become a fun age for us!  We are starting to learn so much about your personality and curiosity.  One thing that we know about you is you are a Do-It-Yourself kind of gal.  Specifically when it comes to eating.  Mom slaves in the kitchen for us all the time.  She chops, bakes, purees, and packages our meals on a weekly basis.  For free.  (Jackpot).  But she has since learned that you simply prefer to feed yourself.  While she may do the hard work, you like to serve yourself, and boy are you a mess.  However, this preference definitely has it's perks.  Mom once spent her beloved 'down time' while you were napping washing, boiling, and pureeing blueberries only to learn you strongly disliked them.  Then she tried just giving you a whole blueberry, and since YOU got to eat it yourself, you shockingly enjoyed!  This is pretty handy!  Except when eating your favorite food...avocado.

Next thing to work on with your big girl eating...one for you, one for me.  

Love,

Nelson

Table for Two

Grandpa Frazier always has something up his sleeve for us.  You know how he has been keeping busy at the woodworking shop?  You've gotten Disney characters, train set, trucks, a cool box.  Well, he made US the most amazing gift so far.  A table.  Not just any table.  A table just for you and me, because it has our actual names on it!  Mom was blown away, it is just gorgeous.  She said she can't wait to find the perfect playroom to put it in. (not sure where in our house she will put a new room?).

I've told you this before and I'll tell you again, but sister, we hit the jackpot with this guy.  

Love,

Nelson

9 Months

Well, I'm a few days late on this.  Reason being....YOU.  I.  Am.  So.  Tired.  

Things you love:

• me
• mom
• walks
• dancing and music
• someone playing with you
• sweet potato, avocado, pears, anything mom is eating
• being outside
• swinging
• being naked
• going out-n-about (getting anyone to smile at you!)
• kids

Things you dislike:

• sleeping through the night
• the frustration that comes along with trying to crawl
• getting diaper changed
• getting dressed
• when mom walks away

Remember, my last post...I predicted you would crawl on your 9 month birthday.  They don't call me Wise Nelson for no reason.  Well, they also don't call me that.  You actually crawled on your 9 month 1 day birthday (you sure have a lot of birthdays).  Now, you're not zippin around the house yet, but you had your first forward crawl!  What did you go after?  A diaper.  You always keep me on my toes.  

Other things you have been up to...not sleeping.  Last night was the worst nights of all nights.  You really actually never fell asleep, unless mom or dad were holding you.  I quit getting up with them.  Someone has to get some rest around here.  I didn't even ask mom to feed me at your 5am beckoning, that's how tired I am.  You've learned that you can move all about your crib.  And sitting up has become a problem.  You sit up, hang out, fall over, cry, and repeat.  It's exhausting.  Mom has you on video actually asleep sitting up.  

You also started to become a belly sleeper!!  This is unheard of in your world because you hate to be on your belly!!

This month we finally got our first big snow.  I LOVE to play in the snow so it was a must-do activity.  But, mom was not prepared for you to participate.  You just didn't have the right outfit.  No fear, just put a baby in a sack.  Dad was so embarrassed.  You were so shocked by your surroundings that you face-planted in the snow.  

No story, just a picture of your famous butt crack.

One of your favorite times of the day is NAKED TIME!  This is the time that you actually learned to crawl!!!  I think it's the freeness that helped.  The goal is to keep you on the blanket.  Mom is learning a pattern to naked time.  You feel free to do just about anything.  Crawl, pee, poop.  Sometimes on the blanket, sometimes off.  

We also had our first Valentine's Day together.  You were the best kind of Valentine...clueless and I didn't have to get you a gift.  At least you looked cute.  

You loved hanging out with the Simmon's sisters.  Lots of snorts, laughs, and teeth.  You have some catching up to do with that.  

One milestone you also mastered this month was cause and effect.  The cause- You want to drop your toys.  The effect - I run upstairs because this is too scary for me.  

 One of your favorite things to do is go out.  Shopping, walking, eating, etc.  You name it, you like it (please don't make me eat my words on this).  You'll do just about anything to get someone to look at you so you can flash them your famous smile.  This is great because mom and dad love to eat.

You even got to go to a fancy restaurant, and mom and dad's favorite spot, Rye.  Hammed it up and earned the privilege to more dinners.  Wonder when they will start asking me if I can come.   

You still love everything about dad, he's a fun one to smooch. 

You've also started trying a lot of new foods.  None of which grandpa Frazier would ever eat.  But, you and I eat the same stuff!  We are so cultured.  

 Grammie came in town this month, just as dad was going out of town.  Coincidence...I think not.  She babysat us one day.  Halfway through the day mom got a text from here "this is really time consuming".  Uh.... duh.

She even called in the big guns to entertain you...great grandma.  She said she got butterflies the whole drive out to see you.  I know she also meant me too.  We are kind of a big deal.  You loved seeing her and I know it just made her entire week.  

While Gram was here, you tried out a music class called kindermusick.  You did a wonderful job with the other babies and loved all the dancing.  Afterwards you got to go shopping.  Mom got a little excited to see a potential first birthday hat for you.  I like her style.  

And as if you didn't have enough stuff, you got a new toy.  This monster sits in our living room and hopefully entertains you for longer than 3 minutes.  

But, I would say my favorite part of this month is we get to be outside so much more.  And you love it!!  You loved the afternoon at Mark and Nita's farm.  It's actually not a dog farm but you were in heaven.  Mom made the right choice keeping me home.  Me and a pack of dogs = one nervous guy.

Clearly not a fan of the hat.  

We just love being outside together.  Mom thought it would be fun to have our own park playdate together, no one around, just us!!  I wanted to be chased, you wanted to eat grass, so mom kept really busy.  

You are such a good eater, and everything is organic:) 

Mom's friend once told her she would have 10 kids if they were all born at 9 months.  I can't wait to see if this comes true this month:)  I say if we just got you STTN (that's what we in the biz call sleeping through the night) then life would be dandy!  

We love seeing all the new things you have in store for us.  The crawling, babbling, clapping to music...just lights up our day.  Thank you for being such a wonderful person Charlotte.  

Love,

Nelson