18 Months

You're a year and a half. This is both hard, and not hard, to believe. On one hand it feels like it was only a few months ago that you were learning how to sit and crawl, but on the other hand it feels like you've always been a part of our lives and our family.

You do and say so much it's seriously overwhelming to try to write it down. But I'm going to try. Here are the highlights lately:

One day after daddy had finished going over with you all the animals sounds you know, he asked, "And what does the Mama say?" Without skipping a beat you started wagging your finger vigorously in his face saying, "No! No! No! No!" It was hilarious and heart-breaking at the same time.

The only color you know is blue. You can find a sliver of blue anywhere and you get really excited whenever you see it, yelling "BLUE! BLUE! BLUE!" while pointing.

You are a lover. Yesterday you stood up on you changing table and gave dad a hug, and then me a hug, and then dad a hug, and then me a hug, and back and forth for about 10 hugs each. We appreciate you keeping it equal.

You make friends wherever you go. You walk right up to other kids in the park and either try to hold their hand (and then lead them somewhere), hug them, or just stand in front of them laughing; it's your pick up line. Today at church you went up to an older kid and started tickling her back.

You hold your bare feet up to my face and say, "tickle."

You say "Die, die" instead of "Bye, bye." Even though you used to say it correctly for months. It can be awkward.

You whisper "Dada" and "Papa" (Grandpa Power) whenever you refer to them. We're not sure why.

You're obsessed with Papa. You can find him in a crowded room and your whole face lights up when you do.

The highlight of your day, and therefore my day, is feeding the fish at our new house. We have a goldfish pond in the entryway and you live for feeding them. You say, "Fish Fish" instead of goldfish. For the crackers too.

You practice saying "Hello" in all different voice inflections at 3 o'clock in the morning. It's better to wake up to at that hour than crying. Thanksgiving was the first time in awhile I'd spent a night in the same room as you and I noticed that you also laugh in your sleep. It's too cute and I can't help but wonder what you're dreaming about. Probably dogs licking your face. You love dogs.

You're really becoming attached to your Great-Grandma and Great-Grandpa. We're still tying to figure out a good name for them as those are way too long and hard to say. The day before Thanksgiving you were incredibly sleep-deprived. As a last-ditch effort to get you to nap, Great-Grandma took you into her bed, tucked your in, laid down beside you and sang, "Jesus Love Me" and "He's Got the Whole World in His Hands." A sweet, sweet thing to overhear. She sang until her voice was hoarse and then you two were sleeping soundly cuddled up next to each other. The was good redemption for her because legend has it I cried hysterically every time she tried to sing to me as a baby. Whoops.

It's Been Awhile...

Ava, my love, I'm so sorry I've neglected your blog. I've been enjoying you in real time too much to sit down and write about you. Well that's not totally true. Mostly I just get overwhelmed by how much you're doing and how much there is to record that I just don't do it. You're growing and learning and running and talking so much that I can't possibly keep up with you, can't possibly record it all so I just... don't record any of it. I know it's lame.

I read a great quote this week in my Beth Moore Bible study on the book of Esther (you'll love her when you grow up, at least I hope you will, she's an incredible theologian of our day). It read simply, "Perfection is a dream-killer." She went on to question, "Couldn't the craving to do something great keep us from doing something good?" It's true. Perfectionism can be so debilitating, so paralyzing. The idea of this blog can get overwhelming to me, so much so that I just don't do it. It's like if I can't do it artfully, cleverly, with humor, and no grammatical mistakes, nor spelling errors, and only professional-style photography throughout; then I don't want to do it.

I used Blog2Print to make a book out of this blog. It included every post from when we found out we were pregnant with you up to your first birthday. It's been so fun to read through it, look at the photos and display it on our coffee table for guests to enjoy it too. It gave me a renewed love for this blogging stuff. This is your baby book and it doesn't have to be perfect. It's the story of us, and Lord knows we aren't perfect, so it's... perfect.

I will leave you with this picture taken while we were laying on the floor on a rainy day this week...

[You're my favorite.]

12 Month Update

Well Lady Baby, we made it a year. Can you believe it? It's been a wild ride, quite the adventure. There's nothing in our lives that have gone unchanged by you joining our family and we're so thankful you did. 

Here's what you're up to at one year old:

• You weigh 21 pounds and are 2 1/2 feet tall.

• You still wear size 3 diapers and 12 month, 12-18 month and some 18 month old clothes.

• You started standing up at 11 months old and took your first steps a few days later at Grandma and Grandpa Power's house in Ventura. Then a few more at Arroyo Verde Park. Our friend Mercy and her kids Kirstin and Cody cheered you on. It was the same weekend you said your first word, "Duck." What a big weekend for you!

• The most steps you've taken at one time is seven. You crawl so fast though, this hilarious beer crawl on your hands and feet, no knees needed, that you're not terribly interested in walking. You're all about efficiency. You love the dinosaur walker Uncle John and Aunt Janelle gave you for your birthday though and can "walk" about five houses down the block before you sit down in the middle of the sidewalk for a rest. 
  
  
  

• You are in a convertible car seat now. This was a necessity since you were ESCAPING from your infant car seat. On the freeway. Crazy girl. I actually had to pull over on the shoulder of the freeway THREE times on my way from Long Beach to Ventura to strap you back in. Crazy girl.

• You "dance" to music now. Well, you sway side to side when you're sitting or standing and bob your head. It's super cute. Your favorite songs to jam to is the theme song to Sesame Street, Elmo's Ducks, and The Elmo Song. You get ecstatic whenever any of them come on. There was some Moroccan type of music playing at Farmer's Market this evening. You were totally digging it. Your dad and I were cracking up, you're just too much cute for us to handle some times! Here you are in action.

• You've started saying more words! I love hearing your little voice. Here are the words you have said in the order you said them (after Mama and Dada of course): Duck, Hi, More, Done, What's that? 
(It comes out more like, Was Dat? while putting your hands out in an inquiring fashion), Hot, and Sos (sauce, as in applesauce). I think your next word will be dog, because every time the dogs next store bark, which is all day long, you mock shock, look around and say, "Was Dat?" My answer is dog and you say daaaa...

• Had a super fun 1st birthday party! 

It was one last horrah at the Roycroft house before we move in just about two weeks here (yikes). Your Grandparents Russell came all the way out from Denver to celebrate with you. You had some fun with your gluten free, dairy free cake, but really loved opening your presents. Which you got absolutely showered with. You're so very loved. And we can't wait to celebrate many more birthdays with you!

On Your First Year

Dear Ava,

You’re turning one year old in five days. I’ve been reflecting on your first year a lot lately, going through photos and videos of you, preparing a slide show, listening to our songs, planning your birthday party, and generally just marveling at all we’ve experienced and been through in one short, long year.

I found out on September 7^th, 2010 that I was going to be a mom. I was shocked. I just kept saying I’m pregnant. I’m pregnant. I’m pregnant.

The pregnancy was uneventful, in a good way. I was ecstatic to find out you were a girl. Even though I was already 100% sure you were; it was nice to have it confirmed. I had a lot of heart burn and Braxton hick’s contractions, gained 44 pounds (that’s the first time I’ve admitted that “out loud”) and walked a lot of miles, especially towards the end. 

You were a joy to carry for those nine (ten) months. I talked to you every day on my 45 minute commute to work each way; listed for you the people who loved you and couldn’t wait to meet you. It was a long list. I still do this at night sometimes when I’m nursing you before putting you to bed. I sang Golden Slumbers by the Beatles to you, switching Sleep little darling, do not cry and I will sing a lullaby… to Sleep little Ava Shay, do not cry and I will sing you a lullaby… because that’s what my dad sang to me, filling in my name. I still do this when I’m singing you to sleep at night. I dreamt about you and for you. Who you would be, what you would like and dislike, what you would think was funny, what you'd be when you grew up. I still do this when I’m holding you in my arms in the dark and you’re impossibly peaceful. Maybe this is why I don’t mind that you still wake up once every night; it’s my listing, singing, dreaming time with you. 

The moment you were born was marked by shock. It was not love at first sight as many mothers describe their first gaze upon their newborn. It was shock at first sight. Which is peculiar, considering you were nine days late. I mean; you had to come sometime. Maybe it was because the labor was so quick? I don't know. This photo really couldn't be any less flattering of me, but every time I see it I can feel the shock all over again.

P.S. I haven't seen your suck your thumb since...

The love grew. And grew. And still grows. In fact, I’ve noticed that every time you get sick; which is a lot, much, much too often, by the end of the whole, horrendous ordeal, I’m a little bit more in love with you. And I think you trust me a little bit more each time as well. It’s as if we got through another battle together and we’re stronger for it. And we did. And we are.

There have been so many fun and funny times too. You bring so much joy and pride to our lives. Your giggle is totally contagious. Your scrunchy face is to die for. Your little button nose couldn’t be more perfect. You’re a sweet girl, but you’re also a tough girl; which is exactly what I wanted. You’re probably the most social person I know, honestly. You wave at inanimate objects. When you do wave at actual people, and they wave back, you get high off the attention. You look at dad and I all excited to see if we saw what transpired, as if to say, It worked! It worked! My waved worked! A lot of times your dad and I just look at each other, over your little head in the middle of us, and we don’t have to say it, but I know we’re both thinking it, Where did she come from? And isn’t she just perfect? Sometimes you’re so cute or sweet or intensely beautiful that I have to look away, it’s too much.

There’s been many times during this first year, mostly in the early days and weeks of it, but it still happens at times, when it hits me, She’s mine. I get to keep her. And know her for the rest of my life. This is SO cool!

Thank you Ava, for making me a mom. Happy 1^st birthday.

And Many More,

Mom

"Duck"

Big news! Ava said her first word! Duck. Only Grandpa Power heard it and she hasn't said it since, but we trust him, so we'll count it. After we thought about it, it made sense for a couple of reasons why duck would be her first word:

1. She has a rubber ducky that she plays with every day in the bathtub.
2. She's obsessed with this video, "Elmo's Ducks," and wants to watch it anytime she sees a laptop, iPad or iPhone. She comes up to us whenever we're on one these devices and peeks over our shoulders to watch it with us. Because surely we're just sitting there enjoying a quick viewing of this awesome music video. She can't figure out why she can't catch the ducks whenever she touches the screen and seems to think they live behind it. [Warning: this song will get in your head. And stay there. For weeks.]

3. My parents live on the water in Ventura and we all fed a visiting duck and made a fuss about it the the day before she said it.

Shortly after Ava woke up on Sunday morning, my dad took her down to the dock, saying, "Let's go see if the duck's there again." And she repeated, "Duck."

So of course a couple of days later we had to take our little duck-obsessed babe to the pond at El Dorado Park here in Long Beach so she could get her fix.

11 Month Photo Shoot

11 Month Update

Ava is 11 months old! We keep marveling at the fact that her first year of life is closing in on us. Late last night I was going through and deleting some photos and videos on my phone since it keeps crashing every time I open it (tends to happen when you have over 2,000 pics stored). Of course I got sucked into looking through and watching many of them. After seeing how incredibly different she looks and acts; and how big and coordinated she is now in comparison to those early days, weeks and months, it does seem like a year. A quick and very full year.

Ava at 11 months you...

• Are the belle of the... grocery store, play date, park, library, restaurant, pharmacy... pretty much everywhere you go. You're a total ham and make it your personal mission to brighten people's day. You stare people down and stalk them by waving and excitedly flapping your arms until you get their attention. And then you bask in it. Wherever we go people comment on what a happy baby you are.
• Have a couple of new funny faces in your repertoire. You do this super cute "fishy face." You suck your cheeks in and bug your eyes. It's hilarious. Your swimming instructor especially likes and requests it. You love to deliver. I wish I had photos of it but I haven't been able to capture it just yet. Your other one is "surprised face."

• Are starting to imitate us. You do this delayed laugh after you hear us laughing. It has about a four second delay. The other day I was looking online at real estate in the Ventura area, my new past time, and getting frustrated. You were eating your breakfast and I heard this exasperated sigh come out of you. Surprised, I looked over to see what is wrong and realize you were just imitating me. I hadn't even realized I'd let out a sigh. It's interesting having a little mirror put up to you like that. And I have a feeling this is just the beginning...
• And I did our first 5K together. You were my little coach, crying when I wasn't going fast enough. You're my little running partner. I think we're ready for a 10K next time.

• Put your hands on your head for the song, "Head, shoulder, knees and toes," and look at me with anticipation like, Okay mom, sing that song you sing. It took me forever to figure our what you were doing.
• Do the cutest things! Like the other day your dad was sleeping off an overnight and you went over to him and opened his eyes with your fingers. That's one way to wake him up!
• Walk with your push toy

• Blow kisses! Kinda. It's so cute. You slap your hand over your mouth and then throw your arm out towards us. It's all very graceful...
• Got a new (hot) bathing suit. Pink zebra tankini. What? So cute. 

You're a little excited about it.

•  Speaking of new bathing suits, you're becoming quite the little beach babe. Just in time for summer!

• Say Mama, Dada, Ni-ni (night, night; when you are asking to be put to bed), bye bye. You even put a few words together bye dada and my mama. Melted me.
• Love dropping things off your high chair and changing table and out of your stroller. Food, sippy cups, toys, books... anything. It's Annoying. 
• Pooped in the tub! And then clapped. Gross.
• Are getting really into daddy aka A da as you call him. When I go into your room to get you in the morning or after a nap you get all excited to see me and then look past me like, Might there be a da coming behind you? This is the face I wake up to every morning. Love.

Mommy's little alarm clock

You also request dad to go up the stairs behind you (another new favorite hobby you could do all day long), even if I'm right there. You love, love, love it when daddy goes to swimming lessons with us. You look for me every time your head comes back up out of the water, but when you see him sitting there too you look like you could explode with excitement right then and there.

You & the pops

• Have been healthy and eczema free for about a month now! Oh Hallejuhah! What a blessing health is and how we appreciate it now. Parenting and being a baby is hard enough without all that sickness to muddle through. We still aren't sure what causes your eczema to flare up but we've seemed to found the trifecta that works for you: 
• 1. Diet: you only get fruits, veggies, meat (nothing out of a box or package, no wheat, no dairy)
• 2. Skin regimen: Olive oil baths for ten minutes every other day in lukewarm water with no soap. We pat you dry and lube you up with copious amount of CeraVe cream.
• 3. Prescription medicine: Protopic ointment for flare ups (which we haven't had to use in about two weeks. Yee-haw, because it's a pretty strong medication with a black box warning on it).

Blurry pic, but your skin is heavenly these days.

We're really looking forward to celebrating your first birthday at the end of the month, Baby Girl! It's been an incredible (almost) year with you and we're looking forward to many, many more!

Mama loves you.

"I had a great day with you today."

Baby Girl,

Every night, right after I nurse you but before I put you in your crib, I stand there holding you and rocking you for just a moment. As I lower you down into your crib, ever so gently as not to wake you, I whisper the same thing into your ear, "I had a great day with you today." And it's always true. Even the hard days, which [thank you Jesus] have been fewer and fewer lately since you've been healthy and your eczema has cleared up, are still great ones. Because they're spent with you. You and daddy are the greatest things that have ever happened to me. I love you both and am so loved by you two that it hurts to think about sometimes.

Some nights, like tonight, you let out the sweetest, breathy sigh as soon as you hit your crib and it just melts me. Melts me. The house is a disaster. I haven't showered. Or worked out, although I HAVE worn work out clothes all day, does that count? And you wore blue snowman pajamas to Ace hardware today and everyone thought you were a boy [a cute boy, but still a boy] and I don't care about any of it. Because we rolled around in your pen, and practiced standing and clapped a lot and did "family bed" and went for two walks and went out for breakfast, and woke daddy up for his shift, and read books and both ate a lot, and well, I had a great day with you today. I always do.

Love You Like Cray Cray,

Mama

10 Month Photo Shoot

He Is Risen!

We had a GREAT Easter! On Friday morning Ava woke up and I brought her into our bed. I was explaining Good Friday to her, telling her that it's a sad day because its the day Jesus died, but a good day because His sacrifice means we could be saved. When I told her He rose again on Easter she clapped! My girl knows good news when she hears it.

That afternoon we went to her first Easter egg hunt at a park with our playgroup. It was a potluck and there were about 15 moms and babies there. So fun! Ava has two best girlfriends in the group, Olivia and Lilia. They were all born just days apart and met when they were about a month old. Their moms and I took walks by the beach twice a week with our babies. We'd compare labor stories, offer nursing advice, talk sleep training, and wonder aloud whether or not we really had to give our babies Vitamin D drops... It's hard to believe we're now talking plans for first birthday parties.

Look what I found Mama...

Eggs!

Little friends & first Easter baskets

That evening our good friend Becky came over for a Seder (Passover) Dinner for Christians. We had Noodle Koogle, latkes and lamb. We listened to Exodus 12-14 on Becky's iPhone app while Ava tried to figure out where the voice was coming from. It was a great night.

On Saturday we drove up to Ventura and on Sunday morning we went to Reality Church's Easter Service at the Santa Barbara Community College campus. Oh. My. Gosh. Mark and I both agree it was the best Easter service we've ever been to. Incredible sermon. Rocking music. Stunning view.

Easter Perfection.

Hanging with Uncle John & Grandma

Clap your hands yo, HE IS RISEN!

Ava & Peter Cottontail (mine from when I was a little girl)

My girl and I

We hope and pray you had a great Easter too!

Daisy's New Song

I was just wrapping up giving Ava a bleach bath, putting a layer of hydrocortisone cream on her red, inflamed skin, followed by copious amounts of moisturizer. Then feeding her expressed milk from a bottle instead of nursing her because I took a day off and ate all of her allergens (wheat, dairy, eggs, peanuts, who knows what else...) and she's been paying for it ever since. I was just watching her wiggle in her crib, trying to scratch all the hard to reach places, feeling really sorry for myself, for my baby, and asking God why this has to be so hard. That's when I logged onto my Google Reader and found this...

Daisy's New Song 

It's a song sweet Daisy Love, our Ventura pastor's daughter, wrote and is singing on her way to get a PET scan to see just how bad the cancer that is back a THIRD time really is. It wasn't good news. Surgery is scheduled for next week. Perspective. If a seven year old with cancer can have this kind of attitude. and faith. and patience. and JOY. Then what the heck am I doing wallowing in some skin issues?

Singing, praying and faith[ing] along with you Daisy Love...

Happy 10 Months Ava Shay!

Ava is 10 months old! I know I say it every month but this is the most fun stage so far. She's on the move and getting verbal. The other night around bedtime she crawled up to me quickly, used my leg to stand up and started tapping on my thigh saying, "Nigh, nigh. Nigh, nigh." She wanted to go to "Night, night." She impresses me every day with what she knows and learns. Here is what our little joy is up to lately.

Ava, at 10 months you...

• Imitate my work out moves. It's hilarious. I'm on day 21 of Jillian Michael's 30 Day Shred. It's a work out video that you watch me do it every morning from your pen. You now do head rolls & leg extensions. It's a game to you. You look at us and cock your head slowly to one side and then to the other, all the while maintaining this cute little grin on your face. You play this game with strangers too; the waitress at Bouboufee Mediterranean Grille and the businessman in the waiting room at the Kaiser pharmacy. They don't understand the game, but you bring smiles wherever you go. Here you are doing [your version of] a head roll.

Work it baby. I'll explain the carrot later.

• Had some fun play dates at the house

• Learned how to clap! I know I already posted a clapping video but here's another. Because we can't seem to get enough of clapping in this household lately. 

• Love trying out your four little teeth on raw carrots.

Nom nom nom nom nom.

• Celebrated being Irish on both the Russell & Power side of the family on St. Patrick's Day.

• Got a new toy chest. We were going to wait to give it to you for your first birthday but we couldn't help ourselves. It's too cute! I love the hot pink script personalization. Here you are on top of it. Clapping of course.

• Climb up the stairs. At warp speed. With no concept of gravity on the way down. We need to get a baby gate at the bottom of the stairs but for now one of us just follows you closely behind. Oftentimes you stop at each step and clap to celebrate your accomplishment. So cute. I don't know why this video came out sideways and don't know how to fix it but I'm posting it anyways.

• Think its hilarious when I wear a hat. I wear a visor on runs and you think it's hysterical. You just look at me and loose it every time I put it on. It's as if I wear it for your own personal entertainment. And sometimes I do.

•  Speaking of laughing... you think playing catch with an oatmeal lid is pretty funny too. I'll leave you all with this gem...

The Sickies Part 2

Ava is just finishing up her third illness (other than the common cold which she's had plenty of as well). This chick goes big when she gets sick. First she had Croup, then RSV, and now she's recovering from Hand, Foot & Mouth Disease AND a bacterial skin infection. Yes, both at the same time. That's why is was so hard (and stressful) to figure out what the heck she had. Whew. It feels like just when she recovers from one illness, the symptoms for the next one start coming on; with eczema just a given during and in between...

For being breast-fed and not in day care, we've sure gone through it with the illnesses. It hasn't been easy. Everyone knows that babies and kids get sick a lot but I don't think anyone could have prepared me for this part of parenting. It's exhausting caring for a sick child. Physically sure, with the increased laundry and wardrobe changes, a baby who won't let you go .02 seconds without holding her (even when she's sleeping), and don't forget the battle of medicine administration multiple times a day and into the night; but mentally and emotionally as well. You have to be on day and night. It's stressful trying to figure out what is wrong and it's a huge responsibility knowing that I'm supposed to be her advocate, the one who's supposed to be able to make it all okay, only I'm just as lost as her ER doctor dad, all his cohorts and her pediatrician. Add the fact that she can't communicate to tell us what's wrong; what hurts and where and the whole experience is downright frustrating.

The worst part for me is when she can't nurse. Usually it's due to congestion but in this case it was ulcers all over her little mouth, gums and throat. It's heart-breaking holding her lethargic little body and touching her hot, feverish face and telling her it's going to be okay, all while I pray it will be. Praying. I've been doing a lot of that lately. I've said it before, but I've never prayed as much as I have in the last 10 months of being a mom. She's dependent on Mark and I and we're dependent on God. Simple as that.

Here are some photos of Ava looking (and feeling) hard up this week:

Needless to say, we'll wait a bit to take her ten month photo shoot...

On a brighter note. Mark and I got to go on a date last night! We have a great babysitter who Ava loves and who can handle a recovering baby so we got to use the movie tickets we had purchased before she got sick and went on a much-needed date. We went to Islands for Happy Hour; sliders, fries, a lava flow for me, and a Kona Longboard in a frosty mug for him. Then Hunger Games at the IMAX. I was SO excited. I loved the books and have been waiting to see the movie, it lived up to all the anticipation. It was the first movie we've seen in the theater in 11 months. So there's that too. It was so nice to work out, shower, get dressed up just a bit and go on a date with my husband. So refreshing. I woke up feeling like a new woman, a new wife and a new mom. The great news is that we woke up to a new baby too! She was looking and feeling great. Back to her active, fun, funny, great little self. And guess what? She learned how to clap this week! She's a trooper, this one. Check it out:

9 Month Update

Dear Ava,
We thought that six months old was where it was at, then seven months old was a blast, and now 9 months is definitely our favorite ago so far. You are so fun. And happy. And cute. And smart.

Baby Girl, at 9 months old you...

• Wear 6-9, 9, and some 12 month clothing.
• Weigh 19 pounds and 2 ounces.
• Are 28 inches long.
• Wear size 3 diapers.
• Say "Mama" and "Dada." Or more like "mamamamamama" and "dadadadadadada." All. Day. Long.
• Have gone from giving tentative, delayed waves to hysterical, two handed ones. You wave at everyone, even if they aren't looking at you, nor are particularly interested in saying "hi" back. But if they are looking at or you or giving you even the least bit of attention, it's on. You turn into a total spaz, bouncing up & down and practically catapulting yourself out of our arms to get to him or her.
• Love people. Especially fellow babies or kids. We took you to the Long Beach Aquarium and you got a much bigger kick out of all the school-aged kids who were there on a field trip than any of the colorful fish or other sea creatures.
• Have been to Denver, where it all started! Daddy and I met in Denver and your grandparents and many of our good friends still live in this awesome city. We had a great trip in February. There had been a big storm only days before we arrived so there was a lot of snow on the ground. It was so fun to introduce you to snow for the first time. Sadly, we don't have many photos because we left our (very expensive) camera on the plane on the flight there. Doh! These cell phone pics will have to do...

At REI

Ava & Grandma Russell

Abigail and Ava at Emily & Brian's Fun House

• Have 4 teeth! Your two front, bottom teeth are completely in and your two top teeth are peeking through. We thought we'd miss your gummy smile, but this one is pretty darn cute too.

If you look really close you can see the bottom two

• Are a great eater. Your favorite foods are homemade baked sweet potato fries, puréed sweet potatoes, avocados, rice of all kinds (brown rice, chicken fried rice, Spanish rice, white rice...) and Clif bars; in that order. Your least favorite food is banana. It just sits on your high chair tray untouched and you look around like, "what else you got?" Here you are eating your beloved sweet potatoes fries.

• Have a new favorite game. It's called "Clear the coffee table." You "crab crawl" around the perimeter of the coffee table, picking up each item on it; books, magazines, remote controls, etc. and throwing them on the ground one by one. When it's all cleared you bang on the table for us to put the items back on it so you can do it all over again. It's a really fun game. For you.

 

• Can stand on your own for a couple of seconds!
• Can sleep through the night... you just don't want to. I went away for a weekend and my goal was to have you sleeping through the night so that daddy and Grandma & Grandpa Power would get to sleep as well. After a very short bout of letting you "cry it out" when you woke up instead of feeding you every time you woke up, you started sleeping through the night. You just needed that little push. We were both much happier in the mornings, all well-rested. Then everything went to heck while I was gone. Daddy has some night shifts coming up we'll start all over again soon here.
• Are obsessed with clapping. You don't do it yourself yet, but you love when other people do it. You know we clap when you do something impressive so whenever you hear clapping, whether it's at church or when daddy is watching a golf tournament on TV, you perk up and look around like, "What'd I do?"
• Are (pretty much) clear of eczema! Hallelujah! This is a HUGE answer to prayer. We were at our wit's end with this horrible stuff but we feel like we've finally experienced a break through. The allergy tests came back to be not all that helpful. On a scale of 1-6, 6 being the most severe. Your results were: 

Fish 0

Wheat 0

Beastmilk 0

Soy 0

Walnut 0

Milk 1

Egg white 2

Peanut 2

 No 3-6's which are the ones that would actually cause a reaction enough to pay attention to. I was shocked that you weren't allergic to wheat. You or I consuming wheat and your skin freaking out really seemed to correlate. I'm going with my "mommy intuition" on this one and continuing to use very sparingly in both of our diets. We're continuing to try to figure it all out but in the meantime we went to a dermatologist as well and have a good skin routine going that is working really well so far. Yay! God knows we needed to make some headway on this. It's so sad to see you ichy and swollen and in pain. I've never prayed and begged for direction and answers from God so much as I have in the last three months. God's always been there for us and He came through again. Here are the before and after pics:

At the Dr. Pobresita : (

Beauty face!

We love you so, so much Baby Girl. We can't believe how quickly you're growing up and that we're already starting to plan your first birthday party! When did this happen?! Here's to many more months and years of enjoying YOU!

Love You, 

Mamamamamama & Dadadadadadada

9 Month Photo Shoot

...and that's a wrap!