Junebug- 8 months & 9 months

Dear Ruby Anna,

So now that we are past your 9 month marker I am just combining these two posts. Between stomach flu and cold viruses, our family has been slammed with sickness for the past few months. 2016 has been rough but that is the way life goes sometimes.  Hopefully with spring here (sorta) that will calm down a bit.  What can I say about you...  you are so good-natured, even when you are sick you just get slightly more fussy and want a little more attention then normal.  Your sleep isn't as good either but that isn't your fault.  : (

In your 8th month you cut your first top tooth. (you now have both top front teeth) You have started crawling.  It started somewhere between a normal hands and knees crawl and a bear crawl (one leg specifically) and now is a pretty typical crawl.  It made it quite easy for you to move into a sitting position and you still use it for short distances.  You have started pulling up and cruising along the furniture.  The time has come for me to baby proof... which is way more difficult with a corner/room full of toys that are not recommended for you but that your brother kinda likes so we can't just get rid of...  Vacuuming and sweeping have become my top priorities when doing chores... between you starting on finger foods and crawling, you are taste testing anything you can get your little pincher fingers on.  You really dislike having things taken away from you, which happens often, (see above sentences about baby-proofing and taste testing).  You swing your arms around and make little whining sounds.  You have also started to dramatically throw your head back... I am pretty sure your temper tantrums are going to be spectacular. : )

You love love LOVE your big brother!  As of now, he can do no wrong.  All he has to do is look at you and you will burst into giggles.  Of course, he loves you right back and really wants to kiss you and hold you and talk to you.  He has moments of jealousy or not wanting to share but seriously he is really good about everything involving you 96% of the time... It melts this mama's heart, that's for sure.

Just recently he asked if he could hold you on a pillow in his lap (like he did when you were a newborn) It was so cute (and funny) since you are not so little anymore...

Which, by the way, you have been at the top (or off) the charts at your last 2 doctor's appointments.  You current 9 month weight is 26lbs and your height rests at 29.5". You are very healthy and active and pretty darn cute if I do say so myself.

You have started watching baby signing time, at least a few times per week and I am pretty sure you are signing some things... I am just not sure what yet.  Mom, grandma, frog, and water all involve hand motions around the chin.  Your dexterity to distinguish between those isn't really there yet soooo... I am usually just guessing.  You did sign grandpa at least once when Papa came onto the screen during a Skype session and you sign "all done".  You have recently found your screech owl voice or your horror film scream.  It is so loud and you have taken to doing it in public places.  (sorry folks!)

      You have been enjoying bath time and we had a bunch of fun trying to grab the soap the other night,  You thought it was just hilarious that the soap popped out of my hand when you would try to squeeze your hand shut. Lots of belly laughs...

 Your favorite toy is a plastic hammer.  You love that thing and it will typically calm you down if you are fussy.  "If I had a hammer..."  Close seconds are a plastic bat, bowling pin, and a magnifying glass (which you like to put up to your face and peer through...so cute!)

You are quick to laugh when you hear others laughing and you really like to be in the mix when there is something going on in the house.  Dada wrestling with big brother... you want to be right there too climbing up on them both.  You have recently started crawling down the hallway on your own and you let out little squeals of excitement at trying to get to someone.  You are very close to walking... you can stand steadily on your own and bend down to pick things up or to sit down.  You are thinking of taking the step but so far you are just getting a really cute smile on your face and falling into my arms.  

No rush, sweet baby girl... you'll have lots of time to walk, let me hold you longer. 

I love you so.

Love,
Mama

   

Junebug- 7 months

Dear Junebug,                

(written awhile ago..) You turned 7 months a little over 2 weeks ago while we were in Florida.  So let me back track a little...

We had been in Florida for most of your 7th month, starting the day after Christmas.  We arrived late and after a brief time getting some things together we left for a drive to your Aunt Carol's wedding to your (now) Uncle Niles :-) 

They got married the following day and it was a beautiful day to be married, I am so glad we made it to see Carol and Niles get married!  After a pretty ceremony and some delicious cake (and speeches) :-) we headed to Carol's house for a little gathering of friends.  We had a wonderful time catching up with family and meeting some of the new family! We returned to Tampa and  and enjoyed hanging out with Mimi, Papa, Emily, Steve, and your cousins.  The newlyweds joined us after a few days of honeymooning then we had a big gathering of the Patterson clan.  I loved being able to see my Aunts, Uncles, and cousins (that were able to come) but I miss my Grandma Patterson.  I miss her quiet way of sitting in the middle of the bustle (usually with a cat on her lap... she was like a magnet for them :-),  she would often share a story of her own and you would have to notice because she wasn't a very loud talker and would talk even if someone else was still sharing.  :-)

The first night I was able to sneak away to hang out with some friends you got a fever towards the end of the night :-(  I am pretty sure it was croup but it luckily wasn't a bad case (probably since we were in Florida...) but still very scary! We dealt with that then a cold for a few days, got better... then went to visit your Great Grandma & Grandpa in Merritt Island and your great Aunt and Uncle (as well as second cousins and cousins-once-removed)  Everyone loved meeting you and we had a great time hanging out for a few days. 

 During our time there... you pulled up for the first time!  We were at my cousin Amy's house and, easy-as-pie, you pulled yourself up...twice! I am so impressed! The following week we had a playdate with some of my friends and their babes....  the ill-fated playdate :-( We all got sick within 24 hours (well most of us, you didn't get it and neither did the other youngest attendee).  That was the start of an almost continuous illness (sprinkled throughout different family members) for the next 3 weeks with your brother having it the most often. :-( It was a hard "vacation" to say the least and we (you and I) had to miss the last wedding we had come down for (and were very much looking forward to!)  because I was sick for a second time.  It just sucked all around.  I'm going to leave off there about our actual Florida trip... 

Firsts!!!  During this month we celebrated your first Christmas,  your first plane ride and first trip to Florida.  You met lots of new people and visited with many that you've already met.   You went to your first wedding... Your Aunt Carol and Uncle Niles' wedding! You pulled up for the first time, became mobile (in a way), You got your first 2 teeth (bottom) and probably had more firsts that I am forgetting... 

You started moving forward on your hands and knees then stopped (in the same day) then you figured out that you could scoot around on your booty.... which is basically how you got to things for the rest of the month. I call it your "sneaky booty scoot" because you would move, but only when nobody was watching...

You are such a sweet baby... you are always quick to smile and you are just so fun to be around.  Despite all of the sicknesses running around you are still so mild-tempered and just generally pleasant.  You got your first two teeth right on or around your 7 month birthday so you were a little more fussy than normal but that is to be expected.  I love you little Junebug!

Love you,

Mama

P.S. The pictures with Santa are from your 6th month but I didn't get a chance to add them! I also have more pictures from Florida but cannot seem to find them...