9 Months

Sleep: Kallan has started going to bed a bit earlier and has ditched a third nap. She usually gets up once or twice a night for a quick eat. Not too bad!

Milestones: This has been a busy month for Kallan. She has started clapping and sort of waving. She bangs toys together. We have started on a couple of finger foods, and she is starting to get the hang of her pincer grasp. My favorite thing she does is dance to music. She wobbles her head back and forth or bounces up and down. Even as a newborn, she has always really enjoyed music. No crawling yet, she is too interested in standing up and can stand on her own for about 15 seconds! Oh and I almost forgot... But we counted "mama" as her first official word this month! It melts my heart; she knows it and abuses it!

Feeding: We started some finger foods for snacking. She sometimes just plays with them and mushes them up! So far she likes avocados and watermelon quite a bit. I also hit my breastfeeding goal of 9 months! Woo-hoo!

Ups: We have been loving our outdoor time. Lots of time spent at parks and the beach. Kallan loves getting out of the house. Whenever we head toward the door, she starts laughing and kicking her legs like crazy. Kallan is really vocal, and I love listening to her talk. Sometimes I hear a "dada" or even a "yaya" but it's hard to say if they are real words. She definitely says mama, not going to lie, I'm pretty ecstatic that it's her first word! She is definitely showing a lot of determination. As soon as she started pulling up on my fingers, she wanted to let go and stand on her own. As soon as she would fall, she would get right back up and try again. Now she is obsessed with standing up! She and Lyla are little buddies now, and they can entertain each other occasionally so I can do other things or even just take a deep breath from a rough morning. They like to sit in their beds and they just laugh at each other. Who knows what they're laughing about, but its adorable!

Downs: We can't get her to sleep anywhere other than our bed! I don't mind having her in there too much but she crowds me and I don't sleep that great. Also, she is a huge mommy's girl, which at times I love. But other times, she will not accept a rocking session with Daddy. Poor Erik wants to give me a break, but she wants mommy only! Oh well, I am lapping it up!

Kallan is such a happy baby, always full of smiles and giggles. She has a cute little toothless smirk that is almost always on her face. I love watching the wonder and joy each day brings her. It must be pretty amazing to be a baby!

Sisters

The best part of having two kids is watching the love between them. It is so special.  It has been so fun watching Lyla take care of Kallan and to see their love really grow.  Becoming a big sister was a huge adjustment for her, and we are so proud of her. She loves to help out, and helps with diaper changes and feeding Kallan. She likes to bring Kallan toys (ones that she herself doesnt feel like playing with of course).

Lyla loves to make Kallan laugh and is constantly making noises to make her smile.  She misses her when she is sleeping, and she always wants to make sure we are bringing Kallan with us when we go places.  She is always saying, "Awww you are so cute, Kallan" or "Our baby is so big!"

When Kallan cries, she always says, "It's okay, we are here!" And she calls Kallan "sweetie" or "sweet pea." It just melts my heart. At the same time, I can't believe how grown up she seems sometimes, I just wish time would slow down for a minute!

And Kallan just adores Lyla. When she wakes up in the morning, she has a real serious face on. Then when we go to the living room to see Lyla, she flashes her a big smile. They have become real buddies, and I am so excited to watch their friendship grow over the years!