9 months

So at 9 months Maddie is not breaking in her new nursery.  But maybe at 10 months.  Maybe.  At least we can hope. :)

At nine months though, Madelyn is more beautiful than ever.

Look at that arm strength.  Matt's teaching her how to do push ups.

We had our 9 month check-up today.  Madelyn is 20lbs, 10 oz (81%) and 28" tall (67%).  Her head is still huge (99%).  We (again) had the doctor request to re-measure because it is unusually large.  I tried to explain it's always been big (99% when born) and not to order that CT scan.  I'm not joking.  Our new doc was concerned at first.  I'm pretty sure that does not mean she has too much fluid in her head.  But that she's going to be the valedictorian one day.  

How can you resist that smile?

This has been an eventful month for our baby girl.  She has been learning to crawl on all fours - until now she's just been a scooter and army crawler.  She's starting to pull up on things too.  Maddie has learned to sit up on her own.  We thought that was super exciting until we realized she can sit up in her crib but has yet to figure out how to lay back down and go back to sleep!

Who me?!

The most important milestone is...we are SLEEPING THROUGH THE NIGHT!!  Yes, that fully deserves all caps.  It only took 9 months.  Nine.  I still wake up several times and check on her, but having a full nights sleep...it took me awhile to remember what that was.  She's gotten on quite a beautiful schedule of going down about 7-7:30pm and waking up between 7-7:30am.  About 5am she wakes up and I nurse her and she'll sleep for a couple more hours.  I'm praying this sticks around.  I'm guessing she likes her bedroom of a closet.  I guess we could have bought a smaller house.  

This picture cracked me up.  Are we already posing for senior pictures?
...tilt that chin a little more to the right...

Maddie has spent her first Sundays in the church nursery.  (I know...9 months?  Alaska is more kid friendly during service.  When the lady in front of us kept turning around our first Sunday back in Houston, I knew it was time.).  I didn't even cry.  She's just growing up so fast.

Everything ends up in my mouth. I mean everything. Yum.

My growing babe loves to eat! Goodness, that was probably the biggest topic I discussed with our new pediatrician.  I don't want to over feed her (since she is on the larger end for her age), but apparently that's kinda hard to do at this age.  So I'm not too worried.  She nurses every 3-4 hours during the day still (about 5-6 times total) and eats some veggies, fruit and/or meat at lunch and dinner.  And then devours those little Gerber puffs whenever I need to get something done in the kitchen.  I love that she is starting to feed herself.  

She still has only those two bottom teeth.  Though I'm convinced more are coming in.  She is still such a happy little girl.  Steals the attention of any and everyone who walks by her.  I've met more people through her smiles than ever in my life.  And she loves to talk.  Socialization is not something I'm worried about with her.  I'm thankful for that!

Goodness, I love her.