All of a sudden it seems like Harper is quickly moving from baby stage to person/toddler stage. Of course, I'm mourning the loss of my baby but it is also so much fun to watch her explore her world. And explore she does! She is now crawling all over the place, pulling up on everything, and cruising from place to place. Sometimes she'll take both hands off of whatever she is holding on to, look at me, I see the terrified look in her eyes, and then she quick grabs whatever it was she was bracing herself on. She is also much more in to actual walking using Brad's and my hands. Her steps are these really gigantic steps but she just looks so damn pleased with herself when she's walking around with us. I know, it's only a matter of time.....but, I'm still hoping she doesn't start walking until after she turns 1!
Sleeping is still somewhat of an issue, for me mostly. I have such terrible insomnia that when Harper stirs or cries out, I wake up and can't get back to sleep. Lately she's been waking up three times in the night! I know that sounds bad but the first two times are for like 5 minutes and she cries or fusses a bit and then just settles back down. Around 5 she gets up and I nurse her and then she normally goes back down until between 7:30-8. Problem is, after each of those wake-ups it takes me a good 45 minutes to get back to sleep. So, I'm tired. And, as a result, somewhat cranky. I seriously cannot imagine the day when I lie down to bed, go to sleep, and don't wake up until 7-8 hours later. Oh glory! I don't mind the early morning feeding but I do wonder when we'll cut that out. She is only nursing 4 times during the day (every 4 hours about) so I figure keeping that last one in there is ok for now.
Other things that are happening include multiple games of patty cake, peek-a-boo, and so big over the course of the day. She can now do them on command unless, it seems, we are around a bunch of people and then she just stares at them. I've also got her eating pretty much everything at this point. Last week her 4 top teeth really started to descend so she's been liking the really pureed stuff a little better right now. One of the top ones is now actually protruding through her gums and I think that has helped in the eating arena as she gobbled up quite a bit of food last night. She is going to look so darn grown up when those teeth come in!!
I also finally splurged and got her a really nice carseat for once she's out of the infant seat. It rear faces up to 35 pounds so I'm really happy about that. Of course, I can't afford to splurge and buy the same type for all three cars she will likely be riding in so I'll have to look at the old consumer reports to find something a little cheaper but something that's also safe and rear faces for a long period of time. Dandy, can I please request that you think about RFing your little one longer than a year? I try not to give you lots of advice or make lots of recommendations but that one is an important one to me!!
We are currently in the process of looking for a new car for me. It's a pain in the ass! Why are cars so much money? I still expect to get something really nice (used) for like 8k. Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha! The Outback would be nice....too much $$. I am also entertaining a CR-V or a RAV 4. Of course, I really want a Lexus 300 series but that ain't never gonna happen.
Well, Miss Harper has officially been out in the world for as long as she was inside of me. I think that's a milestone, not sure why but it just seems like it is. She's actually 9 months and a week and I'm sure 10 months will sneak up on me just as quickly as all the rest have. We all went to her 9 month appointment last week and it appears she is doing well. I thought for sure she would be at least 20lbs but on their scale there she was 19lbs on the nose. Her head size is normal and she's 28 1/2" tall. The doc was impressed with her vocalizations and her overall intensity. Yeah, tell me about it dude. I am, though, worried. We have a referral to have her see a pediatric dermatologist up at Children's Hospital in Milwaukee. We both started noticing these brownish little spots in random places on her back. Then there was one on her wrist and a few on her head. I am totally freaked about it. I am terrified that my one and only child is somehow filled with something horrible that I can't see. I can barely even think about it or type it here. So, that's all I'm going to say for now. We have an appointment on Feb 17th. Of course, there were no appointments before then. Figures. My mom keeps telling me that she is obviously doing well. She's eating, she's pooping (Lord is she!), she's peeing, she's nursing, she's happy, she sleeps, she plays. All good stuff. So, I'm just trying to concentrate on that. The ped. had a few thoughts about what it might be and thought it looked like an auto-immune thing where your mast cells produce too much histamine. He said many children outgrow it as they age. Ok, now I'm really going to stop talking about it. I am just terrified it's cancer. There, I said it. Now, moving on.
It is about damn time but Harper can finally go from a prone position to sitting up all on her own. She just never could before. She was happy sitting, could lie down, but then couldn't get back up on her own to sitting. All of a sudden, she just figured it out. Now she just gets up on all fours, kicks a leg out to the side, and uses those arms/hands to push herself up. That makes things a lot easier because she doesn't get pissed when she's tired of lying down. She appears quite proud of herself too. She still loves to stand but she really loves being up on her tippy toes. When I make her stand flat footed she gets all pissed off and screams at me. She can do it flat footed fine but she just wants to be up up up!
She is also turning into an eating machine. All of a sudden she is loving the food. I'm running out of ideas and feel bad when she's back to applesauce and squash. I have a great little book of blender recipes but I seriously don't have the time to make anything. I can only get maybe 20 minutes out of her being in the pack n play in the kitchen with me before she wants out. I can't get much made in 20 minutes!
Well, I was going to write more but it's about time for me to start packing up here at work. I'm terribly tired today as H didn't have a very good night last night; she was up at 1am screaming. The only way to calm her when that happens is to nurse so I was up then nursing and then up at 5 nursing again. Ah well, I know I will really miss those days when we don't have that relationship anymore!
