Lilah 9 months

Lilah had her 9 month check up the other day and the stats are as follows:

Weight: 28 & 3/4" - 90%

Height: 18 lb 6 oz. - 50%

HC: 17 & 1/8" - 25-50%

Her biggest news is that she started getting on her hands and knees at 8.5 months. She soon moved by sliding backwards and today she started crawling! O.k.... so she moved about a foot forward, but I'm taking it!

Today is the day of firsts! She also started saying "mama" today, and being the biased person I am, I think she may even mean me :) We've been working a lot on nursery games in the last few days, prompted by some tests that our overseas organisation gives us. Today she started playing "peek-a-boo" by holding her hands together and covering her eyes. It's sweet to watch.

I love watching Eliana and Lilah interact. The other day I put Lilah in her crib to play and later discovered that Eliana had climbed in to play with her. I hope they grow to be best friends.

Other things about Lilah:

She just started finger foods. It's a slow process! She puts cheerios in her mouth but squishes beans and peas between her fingers :)

She is mostly on formula. I'm thankful I'm able to breastfeed her a little before each feed, but she needs more food, so her main nutrition is from solids and bottles.

She takes two 1-2 hour naps a day (9am & 1pm) and is really ready for bed by 7pm :)

She started showing stranger anxiety at 8 months. Arms of friends that she was once happy in now make her cry.

She babbles a lot! On Sundays I've started standing at the back of church rocking her until she falls asleep so she doesn't distract others!

She is still a little giggle pot.

What a joy she is. We are so thankful to God for her health, her giggly, yet feisty personality, her little squishy cheeks and her big brown eyes. May the Lord make her His own through the salvation that comes only through Christ!

Why we're considering the purchase of an iPad...

We had a wonderful time with some sweet ladies from our church last week. Eliana especially loved playing with them. I think Apple should employ Susan to go around and promote the iPad to parents of toddlers. We were almost sold on the spot!

Eliana 2 years and 5 months

When I watch Eliana it is amazing to think that she was once Lilah's age! I could best summarise Eliana's days with these words: dancing, singing, spinning, (pretend) reading, dress ups, socialising and playing jokes on Lilah. She can communicate fairly well these days, although I have to translate for others sometimes because she has a little Aussie accent.

Eliana's most favourite things to do are to go outside and to go and play with friends. We have been blessed with a 'mild' winter here in Louisville with it sometimes reaching the 50s F/10s so Eliana is always excited when I bring the pram out to get some fresh air.

I was able to get a short clip of Eliana "reading" one of her favourite books. It's a book from the 70s on the folk song "This Old Man". We love it. I had to sneak up from behind to record her because as soon as she sees the camera she usually stops what she's doing and wants to "see Ana". Technology is a blessing, but that screen on the back of the camera is a nemesis to the mother of a toddler :)

Here's a last little sneak peek of Eliana entertaining Lilah (and Daddy):

Lilah 7 months

Lilah is 8 months tomorrow so I wanted to sneak in a quick 7 month update for her :)

She is a very happy, bubbly baby who giggles a lot and lights up whenever she gets some eye contact. I'm sometimes in awe of the gift she is from God. People usually comment that she is "sweet and mellow". Lilah still has her feisty side but she tends to save that for her mama alone. She giggles whenever we play "peek-a-boo" or give her tickles. Her favourite songs are "Open, Shut Them" and "Ga-loomp went the Little Green Frog". We weighed her in her clothes with her nappy on a week ago and she was in about the 75th percentile (compared to bare weight babies).

Some of Lilah's mile stones -

• She started sitting up on her own this month.
• She says "Dadda" a lot and has recently started saying "Bubba". She just gives me a cheeky grin whenever I try to get her to say "Mama".
• She dropped the third nap and is mostly on 5 feeds a day. The fourth feed usually includes a bottle
• She is really into solid food now. She's pretty good with veggies but loves fruit. I persist in giving her egg yolk for brekky since it's so good for her, but it's not her fav. I have to hide avocado in her fruit because (unlike Eliana), she does not like it.
• I have to be careful what I put in Lilah's reach, especially when I'm holding her, because she grabs at everything.
• She loves watching her big sister. All Eliana has to do is jump and Lilah will crack up.
• A bottom tooth just broke through last week! I'm now on the hunt to get lots of gummy smiles before those days are over!

Lilah eating green beans

Perhaps only a mother would find this video exciting - but just in case, here is the update on how Lilah is eating. She's especially good under the strong hand of her daddy:)

Some December photos

Walking on Christmas Eve

Eliana discovered mummy's boots, to her great delight!

Building a tower with Daddy

Our morning cuddles

A cold Christmas

Too cute not to share :)