9 months

Nolan is 9 months old! Here is an update of what has happened this month.

Weight Gain/Growth
Nolan has his 9 month appointment on Tuesday so we will have a better update on his size then.  Nolan was a chunk at his 6 month appointment and weighed in the 80+%  Then, he got sick and went in and lost 15oz. (putting him back in the 50%s which he has consistently been in since 2 months.  They attributed that to being sick as well as scale differences so they were not concerned.  I have been weighing him and myself and I havent seen him go over 20 yet, but I don't think it is far in the distance.  We shall see on Tuesday!

Sleep & Bedtime Routine

Nolan has been doing much better at sleeping.  He is not fighting naps, he is going down on his own, he is waking and putting himself back to sleep, and he is only waking once a night occasionally to eat and go right back to sleep.  He is sleeping in his zippy, on his stomach, butt in the air.  We had to lower the mattress as he sits up he sometimes and is getting his little hands up on that railing and we didn't want to risk it.

Milestones
Nolan has gotten much better at crawling.  He does the typical crawl as well as what we call his "gimp leg crawl."  His left (always his left) leg is tucked under him and his right foot is on the floor.  He extends his right leg and lands on his left shin.  It really is faster but looks so goofy!  He is getting quite the bruise on his left shin.

Now that he can crawl, he can get into mischief.  He likes to play with the door stopper (which was removed after this video to avoid all choking hazards) and the gate.  I can no longer escape anywhere, and EVERYTHING is Nolan proof. 

He likes to take Badger's toys, squeak them, get Badger to come, and then not let him have the toys....

He has figured out clapping....and chose to practice clapping at 4:44am on Saturday....but then when he was done he laid back down and went back to sleep all on his own!

Nolan has insisted he feed himself.  Some days he does let us feed him, but other days he INSISTS he has to do it on his own.

He is cutting his top tooth (it has broken through the gums, but has not moved down yet).  He has started chewing on teething rings and such again.  He really loves the vibrating corn cob from Max.  Then, for whatever reason, he sat on our floor spinning as he gnawed on it.

We took Nolan to Noodles and let him eat with us. He did so good with grown up food!  He also did great at drinking out of a cup to wash it all down. (There has been a case recently posted about a mom who watered down her breastmilk to make it go further and her daughter died.  This made a lot of new moms worry that they were going to give their child "water poisoning"  I wasnt concerned because he gets all the nutrients still in the milk as it is never watered down. Also, these few swallows is all the water he gets.)

Nolan began signing "milk" for me.  He is using it correctly as well as at the table when he would like something (a drink, more, something else).  He is starting to get the hang of it, but regardless, it is so darn cute!

Monday at Grandmas, Nolan fell in love with the laundry room door.  Then, while we were talking we noticed he kept peeking around the door and laughing. We realized he discovered how to play peek-a-boo!  So cute!

Nolan lights up when Alex and I walk in the room.  I know he loves me.  I also know when he made eye contact at the very young age, it meant he loved me.  I then knew the smiles meant that.  Then it was the laughs and excited face when I walked in a room.  But, this week, Nolan kissed us.  There is nothing more amazing than getting a kiss from your child.  (He also things himself on film is hilarious!)

Firsts & Fun

How Freaking cute is he?!?

Nolan and I walked in our first Pig to Pig walk.  We walked 4 miles and he was a champ!  Who knew Kaukauna had so many hills?!?  He didn't nap but he was so well mannered the whole time!  Look at this ham afterwards!

He got to try out his new pool!  80* made it time to swim!  He liked the water (as long as we put one pitcher of hot water in to make it a little warmer).  

Hanging out with Cousin Charles in the stroller at grandmas.  They love being outside!

He loves to take the baskets off the shelf, take the fabric off, and bang the metal on the hardwood.  Whatever floats his boat.

All of our husbands were gone to a bachelor party so we went on our first mommy park date.  Ashley (Poppe) drove to my house and we walked to Ashley (Wundrow) to pick up her and the kids.  We then walked to the park by our house.  We all had a blast!

I celebrated my first mother's day.  Alex had to work so it was just another day for me (though Alex spoiled me with chocolate covered strawberries and a beautiful bouquet of flowers).  As I was folding my 4th load of laundry I heard Nolan hitting the dog cage.  I went to check him, and he was in the kennel.  I gave him his toys and continued with laundry. He hung out there for a good 20 minutes.

You have never seen Nolan move like when the refrigerator opens up.  He loves to attempt to mouth up as many of the bottle on the bottom shelf in as short of a time as possible.  Holy cow the kid has speed.

Nolan likes to sit up in the bathtub and Alex doesn't love his bath seat because its hard to "get all his crevices"  I read on pinterest if you put them in a laundry basket it helps them sit up and lets the water in. This basket was still to big because he could still tip, but he enjoyed it!

Mother's Day

My whole life I have always wanted or have been working for the next step. I wanted to join clubs and do extra curriculars in high school to get into a good college. I did the same in college to get a job. When Alex and I were dating, I wanted to be engaged, when we were engaged I wanted to be married sooner. When we were married I wanted our house, our dog(s), and to start a family.

I felt this overwhelming mental checklist in my life. At times I'd have full-on panick attacks just wanting and needing that next step. What's next? What can I do to get what I want?

Then, God made me wait. Alex and I tried for quite some time to make our family of two to a family of three. I'd cry every month, mad at the world for making me wait. I did what I was supposed to; I did everything in the right order.  All I wanted was to be a mom!

Then finally, God felt I had learned a valuable lesson in patience and persistence. We were blessed with our beautiful pregnancy. 

I celebrated my first Mother's Day while pregnant. Some said happy Mother's Day and celebrated, while some told me I'm not a mom yet. I was on my way to being a mom and I was on cloud 9.

August 21, 2014 at 5:27pm I became "a real mom" For the first time in my life I was 100% happy with right here, right now. I got to be what I have ALWAYS wanted to be, a mom. My life is complete, it is full. I am at peace for the first time that I can recall.

The strange thing about having a child is that one of the first things someone will ask you as you lovingly cradle you newborn is, "when are you going to have another one?" For the first time in my life, I don't have a plan, I don't have a panic reach for the future. I don't know. I don't care. If I died today, though it would be sad beyond measure to not see my baby grow, I got my one goal, my one passion, my one true calling. I am a mom. I have everything. I have EVERYTHING.

Yes, I'd like more children, and yes, I'd like them relatively close together, but for the first time I don't need a plan. For the first time I genuinely feel I can leave it in the hands of God. That if I plan and freak as I have in the past I am no closer to what I wanted nor am I at peace.

I am a mom. I just can't stop saying it. I am so happy here it's hard to imagine wanting anything else. I am a mom. I have it all. I am a mom.

I look forward to the future, but I am THOROUGHLY enjoying this beautiful, bumpy, fun, freaky, amazing, stressful, powerful, enlightening ride. I am a mom.

I am a mom!

Happy Mother's Day!!