Laundry can wait...Patrick is 9 months old!!!

So as I sit here typing, piles and piles of laundry are waiting to be folded. I know I should be dutifully folding and hanging clean clothes, but the laundry will have to wait while I update the blog - because Patrick is 9 months old today!! I can't help myself - I felt bad for missing his 8 month update, and can't help but want to celebrate my wonderful son today.

Patrick has turned into such a cool, fun little guy. Some of the things we love most about him now:

He's mobile!
Patrick crawls all over the place. He can crawl normally, but most of the time chooses this funky broken crab crawl that consists of the right knee down and the left leg out to the side. It is very hard not to laugh when he does it, but he can move very quickly! In the past couple of days he's also decided to try the straight leg crawl, feet on the ground, arched up. Very strange.

He's growing like a weed!
Officially into 12mo. clothes now, I don't expect him to be there too long. We see his doctor on Friday for a 9 month visit, I'll post the updated stats then.

He is incredibly smiley!
This kid smiles so much, I don't know how his chubby, chubby cheeks don't hurt. He has the silliest dorkiest laugh that I desperately hope he grows out of someday, but for now though, it is hilarious and adorable! His smile is made even cuter by 6, count 'em, 6 pearly white teeth - 4 on the top, 2 on the bottom. Unfortunately, with those teeth come biting...hopefully a short-lived phase.

He's exploring more eating options! 

He's still mainly on breastmilk, and is eating his cereal and baby food, but is starting to try some "mommy and daddy" food. He's had some fruit in mesh feeders, but seems to prefer slamming that into the floor to eating it. In celebration of this 9 month birthday, we had some chopped cantaloupe and our first apple juice from a glass. (Confession - the only plastic glasses I had were too big, so I gave him the juice in a little glass baby food jar. It was hilariously redneck.) Oh, and on Sunday during the US vs. CAN hockey game, Daddy and Uncle Andy gave him a baked Tostito. I won't go into details, but lets just say he won't be having chips again anytime soon.

He has quite a little personality!

Along with all the fun, we also have a stubborn and mischievous little boy on our hands. He thinks the word "no" is HILARIOUS, but usually does listen. And like his daddy, Patrick is convinced he's the funniest person on the planet. (Also like his daddy, he's usually right)

He's a chatty little dude!

Ok, so he's not using real words, but he apparently has a LOT to say. He blabs a ton and clearly is trying to tell us something. He says "dadadadadadada" but doesn't connect it to his daddy at all. I've tried to convince him that "mamamamama" is the way to go, but he isn't buying it. Saturday morning when one of the cats jumped on the bed, he looked at it and yelled "Haa-too" and then looked quite proud. Of course, the cat he was referring to is Pibb, so he was nowhere close to the right word, but we've decided it is easier to change the cat's name and have started referring to two of our cats as Haa-two and Haa-three :)

Here are a couple of pictures from the last few weeks:

SMILE!

Patrick on his way to open his first bank account!

Car shopping with daddy (no, nothing purchased, just fun looking)

Grandpa Phil came to stay while Daddy was in India - they were napping buddies!

Snuck away from Mommy and Daddy and found some wood glue to eat. YUM, paste! (Relax, it wasn't opened yet)

Rockin' a plumber's crack while playing with cousin Annabelle's bear friend.

Somehow managed to get himself partially out of his sleep&play one night. I thought the look was very Flashdance of him.

Sleepin' on Mommy

January...

Well, 2010 has certainly started out a little trying, but we’re getting through. On New Years eve, Patrick popped his first tooth (one of the top ones), which was SO exciting for us! He had been a little whiney/fussy and drooly, but overall was a champ about it.

On New Years Day, Grandpa Phil and Ryan worked on the Decatur house while my mom and I took Patrick outlet shopping for some bigger clothes. It was cold, but we got some great deals on adorable clothes for Patrick.


We had a relaxing rest of the weekend, but started noticing that Patrick had developed a runny nose and cough. By Sunday night (the 3rd), his breathing was getting more rapid and I was getting more worried. He slept better than I expected Sunday night, but on Monday morning was looking and sounding much worse and was running a high fever. We made our way to the pediatrician where they checked his oxygen, had me give him a nebulizer treatment, swabbed his nose, and told me that he had RSV and an ear infection. AAAAUURGGGHH!!! I know its pretty common and we're lucky he didn't get it any earlier, but it was still really scary. Poor Patrick looked and sounded horrible, and our normally independent little guy spent much of the week curled in Mommy’s arms moaning. (For anyone who has seen When Harry Met Sally, picture the scene when Harry and Sally are on the phone and Harry decides to practice moaning. It was so pitiful.)


Patrick and I didn’t leave the house other than to go back to the pediatrician and Walgreens, and watched a LOT of terrible television. Oh, and little man popped 3 MORE TEETH while he was sick. Somehow, and honestly I’m not sure how, we got through the week.


Patrick’s fever was finally gone by Thursday morning and he was clearly starting to feel better. I was exhausted, but thrilled. That is, of course, until Thursday evening when I came down with a case of food poisoning. Thankfully, Ryan's mom and dad were able to come down on Friday - Papa to help Ryan with the Decatur house and Mom to watch Patrick while I tried to get my stomach back in order. Patrick and I spent the rest of the weekend recuperating while Ryan continued work on the house.


Despite still having food poisoning, on Monday I returned to work and Patrick went back to daycare. Finally, back to a schedule. Normal life. Not for long!


On Tuesday, Patrick developed hives on his back. So, although we thought we were through the worst of it, on Wednesday we found ourselves back at the pediatrician. Thankfully, during that visit they were able to recheck his ears (infection gone) and determine that the hives were due to some sort of allergic reaction. Unfortunately, given the different medications and recent introduction of new foods, there was no good way to determine what caused the reaction. He was given yet another medication to get the allergic reaction under control and with any luck it was a contact-type reaction that we won't see again (I'm hilarious, right?) 


So here we are. 2 1/2 weeks into January. Everyone is doing better and this past weekend we were even able to get some projects done around our house! 


Here are just a few pictures that we've taken so far this month:

Patrick has learned to love bathtime!

Like my new baseball cap?

This is what happens when you fall asleep on your play mat.

Daddy tried to lure Patrick into crawling. He is SO close!!

Two of the four teefers!

Happy New Year!!!!

Baby New Year wishes you all a very happy 2010!!

2009 was such an a wonderful year that it is bittersweet to leave it in the past. Nonetheless, we look forward to all the adventures and experiences this new year will bring. May you all have a blessed and happy 2010!