3/4 of a Year...

Yep, nine months...already. Kinsley turned 9 months on Saturday, and there are so many fun things that she is doing right now...where to begin...

In November, we left the Goddard School and transitioned Kinsley to an in-home care in Dunwoody with Ms. Becky three days a week. And nope, I am not part-time, so the other two days a week are split between her Bee-Bee on Mondays and May-May on Tuesdays. We are sooo blessed. So far, things have been wonderful. Change can be a little unsettling, but so far this change has been the right decision! In fact, we hadn't been to the pediatrician since October...that is, until last week. But it's cold season, so oh well...couldn't stay well forever. Kinsley is in a warm, loving home, and is part of what we refer to as "the girls club"...4-5 girls, ranging in age from Kinsley being the youngest up to 6 years old. Kins smiles everytime we go over there and I think she is making some great new girlfriends in the process...and learning from them as well. They all talk and laugh and play around her...and she loves watching them. This was a huge change in routine for us throughout this last month, but so far it is going oh so well!


We have her official 9mo check-up later this month, so no "stats" yet..but when we went to the pediatrician last week for the ear infections & cold, she was 19 lbs 6 oz with clothes on...wow. Big girl!


Here are some other things that I have taken note of...a few of Kinsley's new favorites at 9 months:

• Teething: Kinsley finally got that first "phantom" tooth (we had been waiting on that tooth for a while...she's been teething since August) on December 2nd...I picked her up after work, we were playing at home before dinner (her upside-down tickle game), and there it was, had just broken the surface. We see a little bit more of that tooth everyday...and a little less sleep every night.

• And speaking of teeth: she loves her RazBerry Teether - seriously, this thing is so awesome...what's not to like about hands-free teething that looks like a yummy raspberry and a pacifier?

• Being in our arms. What can I say...she is a cuddle-bug and just loves to be held. And when not being held, she loves to just play. All the time. The game ahhh-booo is a favorite (a.k.a. "peekaboo")...see previous blog post for clarification...and LOTS of baby laughter...

• Naptime: her 30 minute cat naps...she's the queen of taking short little bursts of naps and then begin ready to go! But boy, can mommy get a lot done on the weekends during one of her rare 1.5 hour naps! I have also tried to get in the habit on Saturday or Sunday to just let her sleep on top of my chest in our chair in the den for at least one of her longer naps. It "forces" me to just stop and relax, and she actually sleeps really hard...just like she used to when she was a baby....her head right over my heart. Both of our chests rising and falling as we breathe. It is pure peace...

• Leaning back on our laps to look upside down, and then being tickled...under the neck and on her thighs...those seem to be the two most ticklish spots for now. Oh how I love when she gets to giggling...

• Talking: "da-da"..." ra-ra" ... "ga-ga" ... "ba-ba"...and sometimes even growling...like a little tiger cub. Here's an example of her chatting up a storm one day...I think that we are going to have quite the talker on our hands...

• Music: she loves music. And when mommy and daddy start dancing in some overly-silly manner to this music, she just likes it even more! Our favorite right now is the Charlie Brown Christmas soundtrack...it's basically on constant repeat...but it's only once a year, so 'tis the season!

• When Kinsley wants to get from Point A to Point B...she...rolls. Crawling seems to frustrate her, so she just starts rolling. It sounds crazy, until my mom reminded me that I did the very same thing when I was her age. Never crawled. Just rolled and rolled, and then one day I pulled up to stand, and started walking shortly after. Maybe that trait is passed down from generation to generation??? We shall see...

• Mickey Mouse Clubhouse and Baby Einstein. She doesn't watch anything else...honestly, because most of the newer cartoons on TV today are, well, just plain weird. But she can be in the fussiest mood, and either of these fantastic pieces of children's material will bring out her biggest smile! Gotta love Disney...

• Her new rubber-duckie bathtub...this thing is awesome. In fact, the week that we ordered it, I saw two other friends on Facebook post photos of their little one's in the same tub! It has become a new "must have."

So much to look forward to this December before Christmas! Going to see Santa, holiday parties, trying to do lots of last minute shopping (oops!), first Christmas Eve church service, and mommy's birthday (yes, 31...sigh) are all right around the corner!

Peekaboo

It's been said that "a baby's laugh is the sweetest sound."

And fortunately for us, our baby girl's laughter fills our house with this kind of pure joy - the kind only a baby can bring - all the time...particularly during one of her favorite games: peek-a-boo...or "ahhh-boo," as we commonly refer to it.

Enjoy!

Note: you may need to scroll down the left side of my blog page and turn off my blogsite background music in the pink box to hear the video.

Gobble Gobble!

I can recall the joy of last Thanksgiving, 2009 - stretchy, oh-so-comfy maternity pants, the fun of "eating for two" and second helpings of...well, everything...and the fun time we had last year, after having just found out that we were expecting a little girl in the coming year. My mom and I went Black Friday shopping the day after, found tons a great deals, and came home to a beautifully-painted pink and gray nursery, one fit for a princess. Everything about our pregnancy had started to really kick-in.

Who would have known that we could top all of that this year?

But we did...

Kinsley's First Thanksgiving, 2010...complete with the Marietta Square "Turkey Trot" race that morning (mommy's first time jogging in a L-O-N-G time) and then her being showered with so many hugs and kisses from family the rest of the day. Philip's family was out of town last Thanksgiving at a wedding, so it was great having everyone back together this year, including Kinsley's three cousins and all of her aunts and uncles, from both sides, all at one house, all enjoying the same good food. Our blessings this 2010 are abundant, and we continue thank God for everything he has given to us. I am personally so thankful that He has blessed me with being Philip's wife and Kinsley's (and Hunter's) mama...what an amazing journey so far.

So, what's the even better thing about Thanskgiving? It kicks off our family's FAVORITE time of year leading up to our baby's first Christmas! Kins and I sing Christmas carols in the car ALL the time on our way to and from work. I think that she recognizes them from last year, when I would sing them to her while she was cookin' in my belly....especially our Charlie Brown Christmas CD...we could just play that on repeat all day long.

And speaking of Christmas, I already put in a good word with Santa...I told him that she has been very, very, VERY good! :)

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Kinsley, all ready for her first road race...cozy blanket? Check. Lots of toys? Check. Totally having fun taking in all of the sights and sounds around her at a 10k+ person event? Check and check.

Can you believe that we ALL got up on a cold, HOLIDAY morning to go run? But it was a blast!

Finished!

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Happy First Thanksgiving baby girl!

Love those big blue eyes...

Kinsley was already trying to borrow her fashionable cousin's new red shoes.

The Stanford "Aunts" and the "Kiddo's"!

Kinsley with two beautiful ladies: her Beebe and her May-May.

Kinsley with two of her favorite guys: her Pop and her Papa!

With her Uncle D and Aunt Ang!

And Hunter took his usual place at Thanksgiving: near the food...just waiting for a little treat.

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Kelly, me, and Jenn at Kelly's last birthday in her 20's!

A great sibling photo.

Me and Phil on a nice little dinner out with everyone while mom and dad babysat Kins for us.

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Love this photo...the final group shot of the weekend of all the "kids" and grandkids from the Stanford side. One of my all-time favorites (and everyone is looking at the camera)!

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Now, bring on Christmas!!!!!

Puffs

We have a new favorite around here...we recently introduced Kinsley to "Puffs." This sticky, fruit/vegetable-flavored, Lucky-Charms-like, "puffed grain" snack that our little girl LOVES! When she hears me shake the canister, she gets this huge smile on her face! And when she sees a couple of pieces in my hand, she literally opens her mouth and leans towards me like a little baby bird. It's so dang cute. We are trying to get the hang of "feeding ourselves" food...so far, her little toothless (yes, I said toothless...still toothless) mouth has got the chewing thing down pat. Although sometimes, more Puffs end up on the floor (enter Hunter), stuck to her clothes, or a desolved sticky mess on the highchair tray. Sounds yummy, right? Right...

And it appears that Hunter has a new best friend...and her name is Kinsley. Or "high-chair Kinsley" as he refers to her. I think that anyone with a baby and a dog can appreciate this moment caught on camera.

Kinsley trying puffs for the first time! And in typical first-time, cautious-mom fashion, I broke the already-small Puffs into even tinier pieces. She was like: Mom, seriously, what is this?

Why are these things sooo sticky?

Yes, there's Hunter. Just waiting from something to drop.

And there's Hunter again...right beside her highchair. Might I also mention that there is also a substantial amount of drool on the floor near her highchair as well...

I wonder if there are any leftover Puffs stuck to my hands?

Nah, just this rattle. I wonder if it tastes like Puffs?

And I wonder if my foot tastes like Puffs. Hmmmm...

Another new favorite? Paper. Keeps her occupied for...well, minutes. Seriously, we went through 4 childrens menu's at a restaurant the other night. The hostess always asks if we want crayons too, and I say, no, just the paper menu's please. What can I say, the girl loves paper...and the upside of that, you ask?

Christmas morning is going to be SO much fun!

Flashing lights...

...for our little supermodel. Yep, that was her nickname today. After two hours of photos, in the comfort and convenience of our own home, all courtesy of my Aunt Debra's portable photo studio. [And while her photography has been admired by all of us for years, I believe that D. Webb Gable Photography is now officially "open for baby business."] What a beautiful day. And what an incredible point in our lives - celebrating 8 months of our baby girl - forever captured on film.

You see, we haven't had any professional photos take of Kinsley since March 25th...her last day in NICU...when the Northside Hospital portrait service came by our little room on the 7th floor to take her newborn photos just before we were discharged. It was incredible...our first photos of her, looking how a baby "should"...no breathing tubes or IV's or monitors...just Kinsley.

And now, just look at her...sitting up and laughing and smiling. I feel like time is going by so quickly these days. I love this particular phase of her life, but I know that I will also love the next, and the next, and the next.

In the meantime, here are just a handful of the 300+ photos taken today...8 months and 1 day from the day Kinsley was born 5 weeks early. Now, a healthy & happy baby girl!