The West Side Story: Tucker

Tucker,

I cannot believe you are already NINE months old!! Where has this year gone by?? You are getting more and more of a silly personality and we cannot wait to see how you continue to blossom into your own little person. Sometimes when I am holding you, you will lean over and turn your head sideways, then get super close to my face and just stare. Until I acknowledge you and then you laugh. You are just so silly! One of your other favorite things to do is throw yourself backwards while in one person's arms in order to try and touch a person that is near you. And you have such a goofy little smile that it is hard to accurately describe you in words!

When it comes to your voice, a few weeks ago squawking like a little bird was your thing. Now, as of just a few days ago, growling is your thing. You are our little miniature Hulk :) You also learned how to say "please" in sign language! I have to admit though, that I haven't been very diligent on working on your sign language like I should. Hopefully this next month I can work on that.

A couple weeks ago you started scooting around the house!! You still aren't a huge fan of crawling but now that you are gaining speed you are loving being able to go around and follow your brother. We have cute videos of both of you crawling on the ground and laughing it up. You have also started trying to pull yourself up more, and standing (while hanging on to something) is your favorite thing to do! Too bad you don't have good balance still and fall if we let go. And even just tonight as I went in to check on you, you were sitting up!! Once you fall asleep, I lay you on your stomach in your crib, but tonight when you woke up and I walked in, you had pushed yourself up into a sitting position! So that means tomorrow we are going to have to lower your crib. Sleeping IS getting better with you and we have moved to about an eight hour stretch before nursing. Sometimes. You still wake up 2-3 times during that time but I am able to either pat your back or rock you back to sleep, with an occasional nursing session if your absolutely need it. But mama is loving the longer stretches!! That means more sleep for me too :)

This month has been full of guests! First GigGi, Pimpa, and Amelia came to visit for a couple days. You are in this separation anxiety phase though so you wouldn't let anyone hold you for too long unfortunately. But they just loved all over you and enjoyed spending time with you and Trenton. Unfortunately I forgot to get ANY pictures!

Then a couple days after they left, your great aunt Sherry and great grandma Norma came to stay for about a week! Since they stayed a little bit longer, you started warming up to them by the end of their stay. They too, enjoyed loving all over you and your brother. While Mommy and Daddy enjoyed all the free babysitting we got during our two weeks of family guests :) But I don't think I got any pictures of you with them either :(

My birthday was last weekend and Daddy surprised me by driving us to Iowa to visit our puppy (we will be getting a labradoodle in a few weeks when he is old enough to leave his mommy), then we kept on driving to Minneapolis!! Your daddy is so sweet and so caring. I absolutely loved my surprise. We spent some time at the Mall of America (which is pretty awesome) then we went to Ikea! That is where Daddy and I had our first date. Except in Atlanta :) So not only is Ikea the best store ever, it has sentimental value toward Daddy and I. But on the downside of such a long car ride is that you still think the car is a torture chamber. Cheerios worked for awhile, slices of bread worked for awhile, food pouches worked for awhile, I even climbed in the back seat and nursed you in your car seat for a bit. All of our tricks that we could think of only worked for so long. We eventually had to just let you cry until we either stopped or you fell asleep. It made for a LONG road trip!!! You really need to start liking the car so we could start traveling more!

We keep wondering if you are going to be just as ornery as your brother because you just love to mess with him! Especially when he is crying or already in a bad mood. That is when you find it most enjoyable to pull his hair or smack him in the face or take his cars. Or even look at him. Just to make him cry. I didn't know it started this young......! For the most part though you and Trenton are best friends and it makes my heart so so happy!

At your nine month appointment you weighed 19.5 pounds (43rd percentile), measured 28.25 inches long (44th percentile), and your head circumference was 17.5 (32nd percentile). According to your charts you actually shrank, which doesn't make since but your doctor said not to worry about it because it is highly unlikely that you shrank. It was most likely a measurement error. You are pretty wiggly after all. One of the biggest health concerns I have had with you is your belly. I have told every doctor we have seen (you've had three so far) that I feel like you may have some GI issues but I have continuously been brushed off. But lately it has gotten even worse to where you only go to the bathroom about every 1 1/2 weeks and when you do it is extremely painful, hard as a rock, and really dark. Your pediatrician told me to start giving you Metamucil every morning so for about three days you have had it and its helped some, but I am going to have to keep increasing it I'm afraid. We also have to bring in a stool sample because I'm pretty sure there is blood :( We are starting with the Metamucil and seeing how this works before we have to go see a GI specialist though. So hopefully this will make you feel better, baby boy!
After I typed this I realized you will probably not care one bit to read about your baby poop but that's okay :) Right now it's a really struggle of yours, whether you remember it or not. Plus right now it just breaks my heart to see you in so much pain.

We took lots and lots of pictures and a couple videos this month so there are lots to view!

I love you my sweet baby

Aunt Sherry and Grandma Norma found an amazing deal at a consignment store we went to and we got a bunch of pots for $5! So of course Mommy had to do a mini photoshoot

Look at that cute little face!

Trenton wanted to join in too

Trenton's baking a cookie! Get it?? :)

Silly Cheese Face

Grandma Norma and Sherry tried to help get you and Trenton to sit still. Didn't really work...

You are starting to love the Children's Museum as well! Lots of fun stuff to play with

My friend Sarah, from college, coincidentally happened to be in the next town over so we had to go meet up for lunch. It was the first time in a long time I've seen anyone from college!