pool pics
the set up (ignore the fact we're in the front lawn)
testing out the waters (notice how she's ready to make her move if she changes her mind)
one excited water baby
Same routine today...except we took Samantha for a quick dinner since I lacked motivation to make anything. She had a great time and is such the social butterfly. It also amazes me how a packet or two (or five) of soup crackers can keep her content sitting in a restaurant high chair. We've lucked out with this girl.
miss independent
It's like a light switched on in Sam's brain yesterday. It said "Today we are 9 months old and can do it ourselves." She would rather have a bottle to hold and control rather than nurse. She would rather feed herself than be spoon fed. Which is interesting because no she can't use the spoon yet. She'd rather just take the apple puree off the spoon and use her fingers. We did eggs this morning and she loved them. Two reasons. One because, you guessed it, she could feed herself from her high chair tray. Two I think because I used too much butter in the pan so they were super buttery. Such a big personality for a little lady. I love it.
a day at home
Today started off with a bang. I'm working with Samantha on finger foods so I cut her banana a little bit larger today thinking it would help in getting it from her tray to her mouth. She did get some of them but a lot still ended up in the high chair or floor. She had a few pieces left so I popped one in her mouth and just figured she'd scarf it down so I went to put the second in her mouth. It didn't take more than a second to see that she was choking, especially once she pushed the last piece out and was still making the face. Without thinking I shoved my finger in her mouth and hooked the piece out. Immediatly afterwards I was thankful that I didn't make it worse by shoving it down further.
The rest of the day was tame compared to that. That is until Adam got home and I went to walk Brody. Samantha followed me behind the couch and sat at the bottom of the stairs watching me. I had my back turned for one second to get my coat out of the front closet. I turned around to get the mail key and Samantha had climbed up the stair. There she was, standing on the stair/leaning on the railing smiling at me. It was like she had been doing it for weeks. Just another reminder she's not so much 'baby girl' anymore but turning into 'girl'.
In between the excitment of this morning and this evening, I had some inspiration as I found this photo blog. I busted out the camera at the perfect time this afternoon; there was great light in the living room and Brody & Samantha were chilling together on the couch. Yet somehow none of my photos turned out like those in the blog. Go figure.
I call it like I see it
Samantha crawls. She moves her hands and her knees together to move in one direction. 95% of the time it's backwards. On a rare occasion she'll go forward. She's not zooming around me in circles yet. I don't think I have too much more time until then however. Over the past few days she'll get much further from her starting point in shorter spans of time. From the time I got up to walk to the fridge and back to the floor to play she had gone from the coffee table to Brody's toys (o joy of joys). This week I'm going to analyze the situation here so we can move some things, ground some things - namely the shelf in the corner, remove and/or bundle all electric cords, and come up with a decent looking way to block the way to the back of the TV. Oh, and the main thing, find a magical way to help Samantha not be afraid of the vacuum. With her scooting off her blanket it's really important to begone of all the Brody hairs. I guess I or Adam can just do it every night before/after dinner so one of us is around to hold her. We'll see.
We made a family trip to the library this weekend. I'm not overly impressed with the kids section. I keep comparing it to the Riverside Library and while if I remember correctly it's not like it was perfect it was nicer than this. But she's still to young to care anyways and they're voting this week to expand the library anyhoo. Adam got a number of books and I checked out two total chick books. This was late morning Saturday. Sunday evening at 12:15 am I finished the first book. Apparently I have more me time than I thought.
The weather is crazy...why is it snowing in April!?!? But we made it out before it all started and went to lunch today with BT and Brie to finally have that celebratory. We put Samantha in the high chair at Texas Roadhouse. She did good for about 20 minutes then wanted to be held. I'll take it, you have to start somewhere!!
chef Kathleen = dancing fool
I'm on a total cooking kick lately. I love to meal plan, prepare everything, when it comes out fantastic it puts me in the best mood! And lately I've been putting Samantha in her high chair to watch me. I tell her what I'm doing and let her smell most of it. She will get antsy...unless I'm singing and dancing around for her. She joins in, screeching and moving her legs. While Adam and I were finishing up dinner last night a song came on and we both busted out dancing at the same time. Samantha just looked back and forth at us grooving along in her chair. Sometimes I wonder if I'm messing her up playing so much real music (Britney, Coldplay, Daryl and John, Justin, Elton, anything but rap) and not baby music or classical music. We do mix it up with her Disney Princess album, but not all day long. I'm holding out that music is music, it's all good. Ha, before I started with dinner I needed to move so I put on Britney, grabbed that baby and started dancing. She loves that. Smiles from ear to ear, giggles, seems so happy.
My favorite thing to make...Samantha's food.