9 Month Update

Weight / Length:   (appointment on the 6th)

Eating:  We are still breastfeeding (yeah!).  He can feed himself finger foods a little bit and he loves to.  He also fusses to taste what you are eating, even if you have something prepared for him specifically.  He gets more and more of what we are eating.  So much so that I basically haven't made baby food in a while.  I do buy some jars and pouches of food now/still for on-the-go and introducing flavors.

Milestones/Development:   He is getting really quick at army crawling.  He gets his tummy off the floor but doesn't like to crawl this way.  He pulls himself up on anything and everything since 8.5 months (couch, toys, legs, chairs, etc).  He is getting more and more steady with this every day.  He is understanding more on tone and response.  He babbles a lot and you can hear different sounds coming out.  He says "da-da" and "ma-ma" (I think intentionally but not sure).

Helmet Treatment/Torticollis:  At his first official follow up on the helmet he had only gained 1.5 cm in head circumference.  So they didn't measure his flat spot.  He looks better to us but maybe it's not measurable.  Hoping for a big growth spurt so we can be done with it.  He has mild eczema on his forehead from it occasionally and also dry skin spots on his scalp.  We are trying various treatments for his scalp but no magic bullet yet. 

Sleep:  He sleeps pretty bad still but improving a little.  He usually goes to bed around 7:30-8 pm and sleeps until 10:30 pm.  He fusses and sometimes goes back to sleep and sometimes doesn't.  Then he is awake around 12:30 am or so.  But he has improved to sleep from 12:30 am to 5:30-6 am.  He takes two naps a day.  The early morning is throwing him off more than his previous 7 am mornings.  Hoping like crazy that he will sleep better when the helmet is off and done with.

Teeth:  He has his two bottom teeth in.  I forgot what a trial teething can be.  Add in a new helmet and teething is a pain in the ass (or mouth) haha  I am so sleep deprived. 

Fun Memories (Outings/Events):  We've been to the splash pad and playing in the backyard pool.  He enjoyed the backyard pool but wasn't a huge fan of the splash pad.  He loves to watch things going on.  I came home from church last week (he took a nap with Daddy this week) and he eagerly crawled across the floor to get to me and when I picked him up he leaned in and slobbered on/kissed my cheek and then laid his head on my shoulder.  I loved it.

Challenges:  Teething and his helmet.  Balance.  He wants to pull up and be good but he still falls on his butt and hits his head sometimes which makes for a sad Nolan.  I'm sure it would be worse if the helmet wasn't there to protect his head.

Likes/Dislikes:  He loves eating what we're eating.  He hasn't found a food he doesn't like/love (maybe bananas we haven't tried those again for a few weeks).  He is getting bigger into cuddles.  I love it.  He lays his head on your should and squeezes just a little.  I ask for kisses and he gives me hugs.

Looking Forward to:  Being done with his helmet.  Him sleeping better.  Oh please let this be the month that we get out of the stupid helmet.  And puh-lease let that be the main reason he sleeps like crap.