9 months....

My goal for the rest of Amara's first year is to actually get her monthly photos up ON her monthly birthday! It just hasn't seemed to happen for me lately...sorry! I literally had to get these pics of her before church yesterday.

Lots to write about this month. It has been my most exhausting month physically ( yes even more so than the month I had her), but the absolute most fun month thus far! Amara is a little person ya'll!!!!! She feels less and less like my little baby as she gets more and more independent and curious. She is so full of spunk and joy, and I love every minute of it. I feel like 9 months is a milestone month because you have a 9 month check up and there are so many things that she could quite possibly be doing now at 9 months.

I took her to her check up, and her exam proved her to be a perfectly happy, healthy baby. However, going by her file, she was 1/2 lb underweight, which concerns our doctor. We ran through her diet, and he encouraged me to breast feed 1-2 more times a day....WHOA.....WAIT.....WHAT!?!?!?! Tears literally welled up in my eyes. I don't want to feel like I am taking a step back here. She isn't drinking enough water, she needs to be eating meats ( which is have not omitted purposefully, just end up going for the veggies for some reason), we need to put flouride in her water, she needs more calcium ( start baby yogurt), start giving her table foods, etc. I felt so overwhelmed when I left, and I felt like a terrible mommy for not being on the up and up, but I am learning too! 

We went straight to the store and loaded up on yogurt, snacks, meaty foods, and started table foods that day for her. Truth be told, I knew this was all coming, but I was terrified of changing our schedule, and I am even more terrified of giving her table foods. I had even been hesitant when it came to puffs until now. All this to say, I have spent the week introducing Amara to different foods, and it has been very successful. She is a MUCH happier baby! Who would have thought!?!

Amara's first table food venture was avacado. She LOVED it. Then, we tried some mac n cheese, which she also loved! A lot of my fears of change and her trying new things have been put to rest this week once I saw how it all really happens so naturally. She was ready!

Some of the things Amara is loving right now......

Sitting in her new high chair
Waving
Her first babblings..." ya ya", "ba ba" and my favorite "da da" - no association with Gabe yet, but I am working on it :)
Pointing/ touching everything with her index finger
books
standing on her feet
splash mat
bath toys
getting her picture taken
throwing everything on the ground
grabbing anything in front of her :)
Riding in her "big girl" car seat
Squeezie food pouches
Falling more and more in love with Sadie Marie Dog!!

Other goodies....