9 months

I can’t believe she’s nine months old! Where had the time gone. Seriously, you can’t get through the first 6 months fast enough and then BAM they are closer to one than zero.

Starlet is an amazing baby. She has a super laid back temperment compared to SB. Even our doctor asked me if she was always so calm. I’m so glad. I attribute that calm nature God’s way of confirming EP and I are doing the right thing. Without it, there is probably no way I could handle being alone so often…or travel for that matter. This child can travel! Kentucky, North Carolina, Tulsa (twice in a CAR!), and you now it isn’t slowing down. Every trip amazes me.

She’s a good sleeper. In bed nightly between 6:30 and 7 and up between 7 and 7:30. Bed time is determine by naps. Bad afternoon nap = early bedtime. Late nap = late bedtime. Its a double edge sword, great to have her up and well rested later in the day, but later means less “me” time at night. (Yup, I’m kind selfish about that as its my only time since I have no help).

Presently, we are trying lots of foods. Pretty much whatever I’m eating, she gets. We do some jarred food for ease of use while out (church, MOPS, etc), it just makes life easier. Restaurants, I’m doing my best to give her stuff. It’s a horrible time to start solids as we’ve been eating so weird without EP. I’ve done lots of research/reading on feeding your baby lots of variety in the first year, but we seem to eat the same old stuff. (I really need to get out of the rut.)

Speech. Okay, this is an obvious place to see difference. I haven’t transfered my old blog yet, but Stunt Boy was severely language delayed (I could go on but I’ll just move the old post). As a first time mom, you really don’t know what to listen for. SB made noises that I assumed was babbling (well at first). Having Starlet NOW I know what I wasn’t hearing. Girlfriend talks all.the.time. Mama, baba, dada, gak, gahgah, oh oh….mixed it was a ton of other random noises. I also know that second children tend to talk earlier hearing the older child speak, but still, SB didn’t do anything like this. Ever. Not even after therapy. Not only does she babble, she does it very LOUD!!!

She claps her hands and waves bye-bye. Also “praises the Lord” by raising her hands in the touchdown position. Often, she’ll wave in that position which reminds me of Lane Frost’s wave in 8 Seconds after getting off the bulls. Okay, that’s random. (But, I looooved that movie and had it on cassette!! Loved me some rodeos in high school!)

Mannerisms. Starlet knows how to work a crowd and especially her daddy. If you say “oooooh” Starlet cocks that head to the side like, “who me?” She also does it randomly looking at strangers they think its awesome and I glow as the proud mommy.

Starlet loves SB. That sums up a ton. She follows him around the house. She wants what ever he has, wants to do what he is doing, stares at him in a daze like, “wow. you. are. cool.” She almost never plays with her toys. She’ll take a car over her purse any day. SB is amazing with her. Sure he tries to take things, keep stuff away from her, but so often he’ll open his bedroom door and say, “Starlet can come play now.”

Life is good.