Happy 9 Months Caleb!

Stats

Caleb is 24 lbs 9 oz (98%), 30.75 inches (100%) and also has a head circumference in the 100%. He is just a big boy, but we can't say that we are that surprised since Bryan and I are both bigger than average people. His Dr. said, "Wow" when we looked at his growth chart (that he is now off of) as he grew so much this last 3 months and has jumped percentiles. He is still wearing 18 month clothes for the most part, but has a few 24 month things as well. His hair is beginning to lie down some of the time (but still sticks out on the sides) and his eyes are still a gray/hazel like color. Thankfully size 4 diapers still fit and since we were out of town for part of this month we went through so many more than normal! I am so thankful we do cloth diapers most of the time!

Most of the time people always say Caleb looks like Bryan, but my mom found some old pictures of me at 9 months recently, and I am shocked at the resemblance. I think Caleb is a combo of both of us, but it's still fun to see similarities :) I need to get some pictures of Bryan at 9 months to compare.

maybe he looks a little like Mama

we have a similar "upset" face

Skills/Milestones

• Caleb is now a crawling machine. He is so fast and loves when we "chase" him.

a picture from the first day he really started crawling all over the place (June 3rd, a birthday present for his Daddy!)

• He can crawl in and out of our doggie door.

• Caleb can pull up on any and everything (me, the coffee tables, end tables, any toy that is on the ground, his walker, the laundry basket, etc)

we lowered the crib all the way down this month, and he still has no problem standing up but at least we know he won't fall out now

every morning :)

seriously pulls up on everything

I can stand Mom!

• He loves to dance

• He can make a basket (sometimes) in the little sports center Mimi bought him and also his little basketball goal in the tub

he is obsessed

• He can walk holding our hand

• He can "cruise" on the couch/coffee tables, etc and he's in to everything

lesson learned...never leave my coffee on the coffee table anymore even if I think Caleb can't reach it, he can

• He feeds himself all sorts of food. He loves chicken!

this boy loves to eat

• points at everything with his pointer finger and even points to words on the pages of books (I hope this means he will like to read when he gets older!) He is much, much more entertained by books now and will let us read several to him at a time. It is the only time besides sleeping or eating that he is somewhat still. He also points to our nose when we say nose (well sometimes)

It's upside down, buddy...but good job pointing (I always point to the words when I read so I think he's copying me)

• He also learned how to actually flip the flaps in the flip book just after turning 8 months:

• We have started using the cart more than the Baby Bjorn (as he is super heavy and almost exceeds the 25 lbs weight limit). Usually if I give Caleb a book it helps keep him entertained for at least part of our grocery store trip

sadly he lost this book last week in HEB...

• Saying Mama

• Saying Dada

• Caleb is still taking 2 naps a day, and gets super cranky if he misses one of his naps or is late taking it. We joined Baby Bootcamp at the end of May, and it has been fun but also hard to make it through a whole session (it meets 9:30-10:30) without him getting super upset as it's during his nap time. I am trying to slowly push his nap time back so he will be more used to being awake during the time we are there. He also still isn't sleeping through the night consistently. He usually wakes up once or twice every two or so days. Sometimes he goes back to sleep if we give him his paci and pat him and other times he's up for 2 hours.

• Sadly Caleb gave up breastfeeding completely in the middle of June. It broke my heart. For the last couple of months he had been down to only nursing once a day (in the morning) and then I would pump 4 times a day. When he refused to nurse in the morning, I kept trying to pump for a few days and even brought the pump to FL, but I was hardly getting anything at all (an ounce or so all day) and so I decided to stop pumping. It was an agonizing decision, as I felt like a failure (I really wanted to give him breast milk until he was at least 1), but at least he got only breast milk for the first 5 months of his life and some breast milk for the first 9 months. I slowly transitioned Caleb to only taking a bottle 4 times a day just before he turned 9 months. He now takes a bottle in the morning and night and before both of his naps. He is also eating a good three meals a day.

• Caleb's top two teeth broke through while we were in FL, just before he turned 9 months

Fun Events this Month

• met some new friends

met sweet Marcia!

met Matt (my former student and also the DJ at our wedding- he's great if you need someone! :))

met these beautiful former students of mine: Moira, Lailee and Jennifer

Caleb adored Ashleigh! (ps...I guess I really like this outfit because apparently I put him in it every time people come to visit, haha)

got to have breakfast with Paula!

my best friend Chrissy was in town for a little while and Caleb got to hang out with Logan for the second time!

•  first trip to the pool!

he loved the water!

• swam in our backyard pool

I love him so

• met Mimi's whole 1st grade class! And he entertained them by throwing the ball back and forth with them :) Fun fact- I had a 1st grade class that met in this very same room (Mrs. Kennair's reading class). I don't think I ever thought as a 6 year old girl I would one day be coming back to the very same room with my little boy.

He played "ball" with them

he sure loves his Mimi

• celebrated Daddy's 27th birthday

my men

Happy Birthday lunch with Daddy

he loved the mini meatballs at MOD pizza (that is one stuck to his upper lip)

at Daddy's office

at Daddy's desk

on the day of Bryan's party

Caleb and his sweet friend, Theo

• first road trip to Seaside/Seagrove, FL, first stop New Orleans

all packed, list all checked off, left at night hoping he would sleep...and that didn't work out exactly like we had hoped. He screamed for about 1.5 hours, was happy for about 2 hours and slept for about an hour

• first time in a hotel

he woke up happy in New Orleans!

checking out the roof top pool

• visited Krispy Kreme (and no we did not let him have any doughnuts!)

•  visited the beach

He wasn't so sure what to think of the sand

family pic

thanks Mimi for my new float! (he loves to splash in it)

with Paw Paw

the whole family

he loves his Mimi

copying Uncle Blake

• Stayed away from us for the first time ever overnight while we celebrated our anniversary. Mimi and Paw Paw and Aunt Kayla and Uncle Greg watched him :)

Bryan got us reservations for a candle light dinner on the beach and then we stayed at a cute little B&B

• Had his picture professionally taken on the beach

• Saw his first concert

Caleb loved staring at all the big kids running on the hill

Things Caleb likes/ finds funny:

• Caleb is a little obsessed with balls

every time he sees a ball, especially one he hasn't seen before, he's after it

his swing makes him smile

two of his favorite things: balls and books

Things I have been learning:

 This month Caleb has started throwing mini tantrums when he doesn't get his way or if we take something away from him we don't want him to hold due to germs, danger, etc (like our Iphone or the remote). He has also started hitting us in the face on occasion. He is just so rough. He hits, bangs and throws everything. I asked the doctor for advice and she said we he throws a tantrum either distract him with something else (a safe toy), which we had already been doing a lot of, or put him down and ignore him. And we he hits us in the face, she said to say, "No hitting" and set him down. We are entering into the most terrifying part of parenting for me....discipline and training. I was such an obedient kid by nature, and I know that is not the case for most kiddos, so I am already worried about how to get him to obey. I know he's only 9 months old, and too young to "discipline" in a certain sense of the word, but I also know that training starts now. I tell him no often and try to practice various things.

All of this has got me thinking about his wants vs. his needs. For months when a baby enters in the world, they primarily have needs (in Caleb's case, a "High Needs Baby", LOTS OF  NEEDS), but then they slowly start transitioning to letting you know they don't only have needs, but wants and preferences as well. Being a parent is a huge joy and responsibility. We make countless decisions every day, even at this young of an age- what do we let him play with, look at, hold, where can he explore, does he get to watch tv? or hold our phones, what food should we feed him, what toys should we give him, what children does he get to interact with and in what environment, etc. And I know there will be even more decisions big and small to come along this parenting journey. This is truly only the beginning. There will probably be a day 16 years from now when I'm like, "remember when I used to worry about feeding him organic food? yeah...I wish our worries were that simple now", but no matter where you are in the parenting journey there are always worries. And it never stops. My 87 year old Maw Maw tells me she still worries about her children.

But recent events have gotten me thinking about what it truly means to love. What does it mean that Bryan and I love our son, and want what is best for him? Does it mean we just want him to be "happy" even if that means playing with something dangerous or eating the dog food (seriously he goes after Tenley's bowl every single time and screams bloody murder when we take him away)? I think every parent in the world would say emphatically, "NO!" There is a huge misconception about what it means to love today.  Loving doesn't equal letting. Loving means guiding and directing and sometimes saying no, even if it doesn't make your child "happy" at the moment. You know better than them as the parent. You know there are consequences to certain types of behavior long term. You know sometimes you have to say no, even if it brings tears, even if it's not what your 9 month old or 9 year old or 16 year old wants. And no parent out there gets it perfect every single time. We are all just trying the best we can to train up our children in the way that is best for them.

There are no perfect parents on earth, but we do have a perfect Heavenly Father who loves us, and is so infinitely more wise than we are. He knows best. He can see the big picture. So when He tells us, "No", it is because He loves us, and He knows what choices will bring us the most joy. After all, He made us. We live in a time where tolerance is "god" and "everyone does what is right in his own eyes". Sometimes I get terrified about raising children in these confusing, troubling times, but I know I am not alone. And I know there is grace. I am so thankful for a God who is so much bigger than I can imagine, for my amazing godly husband, and for a wonderful community to do life with. I know I could never do this Christian life alone, and I am thankful that I do not have to.

Recently, our Pastor has been away and we have had some amazing guest speakers- two of which are Nabeel Qureshi (an M.D. and former devout Muslim who became a Christian and told his story) and Lee Strobel (a former editor, journalist and lawyer who was an atheist for years until he began researching the claims of the Bible and came upon so much evidence, in his words "it would have taken more faith for me to maintain my atheism"). Both of these extremely intelligent men communicated the Gospel beautifully here (July 5- Nabeel and June 21- Lee) and made me interested again in making sure I know why I believe what I believe. Christians are saved by faith alone, through grace, a gift not of themselves (Ephesians 2:8-9), but it doesn't have to be blind faith. The Bible is an extremely accurate book of history- check it out for yourself. Why do you believe what you believe about any historical figure- George Washington, Abe Lincoln, etc? My guess is you read it in a history book or someone told you and you took their word for it, and the Bible is an incredibly accurate book of history by every standard. This Jesus, my Jesus is worthy of giving your life to if He is who He says He is. We only have one life..... I really want to spend mine for what matters by pointing up to Him.

until next time...