Piper

I'm frustrated with blogging because I've written two blog posts in the past week or so and both have disappeared at the last minute.  After I thought they were saved somewhere.  Grrr...

 

But I'll try again. 

 

Piper is 9-months old now.  I've tried to take a picture a million times, and this last time she pretty much ate the 9-month sticker.  So I guess we aren't going to have a 9-month sticker picture.  Such is life.  But she's pretty adorable anyway... even if she won't sit nicely for a picture anymore. 

 

She is trying so hard to be on the move.  She still sits nicely and plays in one spot much of the time, but is trying more and more to get onto her tummy and crawl.  She is successful getting to her tummy much of the time, and then does some awesome push-ups and gets up on her knees and rocks back and forth.  She even has enough coordination to move one leg forward, but then flops down to her tummy. And then does it again.  And again.  And again.  Since she sleeps on her tummy, she gets lots of good practice in her crib before naps and bedtime... but this has also greatly reduced the amount of sleep she is getting, because girlfriend just cannot stop practicing.  :)  Soon I will have two mobile children.  I'm already outnumbered... this could be interesting. 

 

You maybe remember Piper was deeply insulted at the thought of drinking out of a bottle or sippy cup since she was sick in November/December.  This wasn't a huge problem since I am home full-time, but it was kind of limiting, and also affected the people that Piper was willing to love.  :)  However, we needed to get her drinking out of something... because I am so hoping to attend Jordan's graduation without Piper.  Military events aren't so child friendly.  So we have been praying and trying and praying and trying.  And then last week I hit a point of desperation, realizing that I literally had 4 weeks to wean her and we were going nowhere.  So I researched and prayed and researched and prayed and found this awesome suggestion for an Avent soft-nipple sippy cup (that just so happens to be almost identical to her pacifier).  So the next morning (last Monday) I was waiting at the Bed Bath & Beyond doors when it opened, bought one, and by 10am she was drinking out of the sippy cup.  I was thrilled.  And kind of sad.  My baby was growing up and needed me less.  And this whole weaning thing was happening for real.

 

In a little over a week's time, we've dropped down to just getting mama's milk once a day.  So sad.  And yet, so exciting that it means I get to see Jordan in just 3 weeks!

 

In other Piper news, she had her first ear infection last week.  It was not too fun.  But she handled it like a champ. 

 

And Emberly?  She's just growing up so fast.  She was sick last week with some really high fevers (105 in the night one night! Yikes!) but just handled it like a champ.  She is soooo communicative.  She understands all of her feelings and can tell me when she's frustrated or upset or happy or whatever.  She also seems to understand tomorrow, yesterday, now, later, etc.  This is a big new change too.  She just is so full of life and opinions and two-year-old-ness.  It is really neat to watch her grow.  I know she misses her dad terribly, and I see it in her need to wrestle or play rough, etc.  I am just not good at it.  She asks about him daily, but doesn't dwell on it.  Overall, I think it is good timing for him to be gone.  I wonder how it will go when he leaves the second time.  And moving.  But she is just all kinds of flexible, so I think she'll do better than I will! 

 

That's all for now...