Abby's 9 Month Update

Abby turned 9 months last Wednesday.  I still can't believe it has been 9 months since this little peanut came into our lives.  I want to give you a little update about Abby, here I go…

Having fun outside!

Weight

As of Wednesday, Oct 22nd she weighs 18 lbs 9 oz.  She is wearing 6-12 month clothes right now.  She is also wearing size 3 diapers and we switch in between crusiers and swaddles.  Abby has 7 teeth now!  

Look at those teeth! 

My pretty girl

Diet

Abby has gotten better with eating since I last wrote about her FPIES allergy.  She is liking food more and is able to handle the texture of foods.  I am still hesitant with trying any new foods with her right now because of the reactions she's had.  There are still so many more meats, veggies and fruits we need to test out with her.  So far she is able to eat beef, broccoli, kale, spinach, carrots, apples, and bananas.  Her trigger foods that she has tried and failed have been oatmeal cereal, rice cereal, egg yoke and cauliflower.  At breakfast, she eats a fruit, lunch she has two vegetables and at dinner she has a meat and vegetable.  We saw her doctor on Wednesday and he asked us to start making her puree's thicker so she gets used to the texture and we can also give her small pieces of food so she can learn to feed herself and practice her hand eye coordination.  So Thursday she ate small pieces of banana (with my help of course) at breakfast.  She did surprisingly well for her first time.  She still breastfeeds 8 times a day anywhere from 5-15 minutes at a time.  The doctor also told us we could start to wean her from the midnight feed we do at 1:30 am. So these last several nights when I have gone to feed her at that time she just eats for 5 minutes and then refuses anymore and just wants to go back to sleep.  I have been following her lead and taking her back to her crib and she still sleeps until her usual time so I am assuming she doesn't need that feed anymore.  As much as I wish I could roll back over at 1:25 when I hear my phone go off I know I will miss that quiet time with her.  While everyone else is sleeping, I get to cuddle with her in my arms and let her feed, it's our special time together.  

'Green Monster' as Claire calls her

First time eating pieces of banana

Abby taking a break from breastfeeding and showing off her flexibility

Sleep

Abby has two solid naps a day and sometimes a third nap depending on how the other naps go.  She usually wakes up in the morning anywhere from 6:30-7:00 am for the day.  Then she goes down for her first nap at 9:00-9:30 am.  I will usually go upstairs and breastfeed her in our room (because she is extremely distracted by anyone or anything and won't have a solid feed if she is distracted) After she feeds I take her to her room change her diaper, read her a story and sing her 1-2 songs and then put her down awake in her crib.  She sleeps with one Aiden and Anais swaddle blanket drapped over her and then she has a small Aiden and Anais security blanket as well.  She will usually fall asleep on her own either in 5-10 minutes.  She loves to sleep on her stomach and curled up in a little ball how her sister Claire sleeps.  Her morning nap will be anywhere from 40 minutes -1 hour and 1/2.  During her nap Claire and I will usually play downstairs in the basement (that is our special time together). In the afternoon she will go down for another nap around 12:30-1:30 depending on when she woke up from her morning nap.  Claire also naps at the sometime so I am able to get things done around the house or just enjoy some 'me' time.  Some days Abby will need a third nap in the late afternoon around 4:30-5:00 if she wakes up at 2:30 or earlier.  At bedtime she has a bath with her sister, gets pj's on, reads stories, and then she breastfeeds before I put her in her crib for the night at 8:00 pm. 

Almost time for bed

Activities

Abby loves playing with her toys, she has her a basket of toys where she will take them out and right away put in her mouth.  She has many favourite toy's but she always has her mini Sophie and lady bug rattle in her hand or mouth.  We go for many walks through out the week, since this month has been gorgeous weather we try and make it outside once a day.  Abby is so content in the stroller while Claire walks beside her or going in the wagon with Claire.  She just stares out at everything along our walk.  She has started to play with Claire's doll house and mostly just putting the dolls in her mouth.  Claire isn't too happy about Abby discovering her toys, Claire is learning how to share with her sister.  She still enjoys going in her exersaucer and jumping up and down.  

Abby playing with her basket of toys

Abby playing with the doll house

Milestones

Abby can crawl now.  She can really motor.  We brought up the baby gate to put by the front stairs just incase she decides to head there.  No accidents yet, so that's good.  She pulled herself up to standing on Sept 15th while we were getting ready for naps in Claire's room, she was so proud of herself.  Last Thursday I caught her standing up and holding onto one kitchen chair and then switching to the other chair beside her (crusising furniture).  Then today in Claire's room as we were reading books she pulled herself up using my leg and let go standing there by herself for 3 seconds before falling down on her bum, it was so cute!  Claire and I clapped and had a little celebration for her!  My prediction is she'll be walking soon, she just wants to go,go, go.  We need to get the push walker from Kyle's grandma's house for her to use because we think she's ready to try and walk with it.  On Thanksgiving weekend, Abby was able to show us how she waves, it's funny she waves the same way Claire did, with her hand facing her.  We do it too and say 'bye bye' and she tries to make a sound like that 'bbbb' bbbb' it is so adorable!  

Oh sisterly love!