(Previously: Lincoln 9 months, Caroline 9 months, Evan 9 months – I think Finn definitely looks the most like Evan at 9 months)

Finnegan is now 9 months out in the world! That always feels like a big milestone, because now he’s more part of everything else than he is part of me. The good news is he’s still surviving mostly by nursing, so he’ll need me exclusively for at least a little while longer. I say that, but I did go out of town for 4 days this last month and everyone survived. But Finnegan still PREFERS me, which I am OK with, because he is my last baby.

Finn is enormous. I can’t wait for his next checkup so I can find out exactly what he weighs, but my guess is around 24 pounds. As Lincoln outgrows his t-shirts from last fall I am putting them directly in Finn’s wardrobe. Any pants smaller than 12 months won’t go past his knees. He is delightfully chubby and round and dimpled and squishy. It’s delicious. Being huge also means he’s finally gotten the hang of nursing sitting up or while in the baby carrier,  so taking him places is now 75% easier. It’s going to be PERFECT for our Disney trip and also very handy at the lake.

In other news, Finnegan now naps and sleeps in the crib, in what may someday be his shared room with Linc. Right now the 3 big kids are all choosing to sleep in one room, so Finn gets the nursery. We’ll figure out which room actually belongs to which kid some point in the future when they care. He still doesn’t quite sleep through the night reliably, but it does occasionally happen and he is taking at least one really good nap every day. For him. Not for me. I rarely get a nap, although I would really love one.

Likes include his siblings, his blankie, biting things, nursing, biting me while nursing, grabbing stuff, cruising, standing up, hitting things, crawling really fast, feet, naps, riding in the car, music, tickles, crackers, cheese, and splashing in the water.

Dislikes include being tired, falling on his face, the 10 seconds it takes to get buckled in his car seat, and teething.

He also dislikes sitting still long enough for his monthly photos, so these are a little…unposed.

9 Month Milestones (from Caroline’s 9 month post)

Mastered Skills (most kids can do)
Stands while holding onto something – Excellent stander
Jabbers or combines syllables – Lots of jabbering, but not a ton of real sounds
Understands object permanence – A little bit, but he’s not that worried about it

Emerging Skills (half of kids can do)
Cruises while holding onto furniture – All day, every day
Drinks from a sippy cup – He (like his siblings before him) prefers to drink milk straight from the tap
Eats with fingers – He can definitely get food into his face with his hands.
Bangs objects together – Yes

Advanced Skills (a few kids can do)
Plays patty-cake and peek-a-boo – He thinks peek-a-boo is hilarious but doesn’t actually participate
Says “mama” or “dada” to the correct parent – Can’t say either mama or dada at all, definitely not to the correct parent

I started and ended my week with beautiful photo sessions where everyone wore short sleeves. The heat in my house is still kicking on most nights but I am almost confident I can put away my winter coat. Which is good, because today starts soccer GAMES in addition to practices so we’ll be spending even more time outside…

Sunday:

My new favorite beach spot for photos

Another week, another goat

After a very full day we still managed to grocery shop thanks to a happy back wrapped baby

Monday:

OUTSIIIIIIIIIIIDE

She’s such a pro

Catching up on Scandal (ugh, why do I bother?) while editing

Tuesday:

This wrap is called Arendelle’s Meadow and I HAVE to own it (I’m just borrowing it right now)

Her happy place

Evan was complaing it was too sunny to see the iPad screen so he put my jacket over his head. Kids these days.

Wednesday:

Let me oooooouuuuuut

I had to pin him down with my foot and then pull it out of the picture really quick

Swinger

Thursday:

BEST wrap meet-up ever

Practicing

Love soccer practice because of the dirt-eating opportunities

Friday:

This face was temporary…

…because this is what he wanted

Mommy, I’m a koala!

Saturday:

BFFs

Cheese, guacamole, bacon, and chipotle sauce from The Whey Station

Perfect evening for some photos

Today we went OUT OUT OUT to enjoy the 75 degree weather and now we are all tired tired tired. We just at dinner (it’s 4 pm) and I’m counting on a 6:30 pm bedtime for everyone – probably including me. 12 hours of sleep (even interrupted sleep) sounds amazing. The only family member who isn’t tired is Linc, who is currently out on the porch screeching at anyone who walks by and shoving push-cars around. I WISH he was in here nursing to sleep in my lap – because that’s always a nice excuse to sit on the couch instead of clean stuff – but he has an endless amount of energy. I’m actually looking forward to him walking so I can wear him out more.

I’m almost a full week late with this and I feel really guilty about it. Between the big kid activities, mom friend dates and photography stuff Linc has been a little neglected. Not like, sitting in dirty diapers all day and not fed enough neglected. Just real nap schedule and therefore no happy, peaceful daylight hours at home to take pictures neglected. I think he’ll survive.

If anything is going to kill him it’s gravity. He refuses to accept that flinging himself off of things or out of my arms could end poorly and has the bumps on his head to show for it. He’s started trying to climb UP things as well, so I’m sure the bruises will get worse before they get better. I am trying very hard to be patient with him as he learns how to human but I’m looking forward to the day when he stops the flinging.

Despite this update being late he hasn’t had his 9 month check up yet so I’m not sure how big he actually is, so let’s just go with “big”. He’s at least as heavy as some of his 18 month old baby friends and almost as tall too. Thank God I’m obsessed with the baby wearing stuff – I can work out my back and core and legs without making my wrists super sore. I always forget I have such weak wrists until the baby needs to be held for an hour.

There hasn’t been a lot of sleeping through the night for the last month. Or sleeping during the day for that matter. He’s obviously hitting a ton of milestones right now so I’m not surprised…but I am tired. Co-sleeping is keeping me from being too exhausted to function but sleeping with a baby attached to you is just not the same as sleeping alone. And waking up 4 times a night is still waking up, even if it’s only long enough to roll over. My current favorite fantasy involves a huge glass of wine, some Tylenol PM and sleeping for 18 hours alone in a huge soft bed.

But waking up next to my smiley, cuddly baby is only going to happen for a little while longer so I’ll take it while I can.

Linc’s current likes include swinging, baths, cats, dogs, Caroline, Evan, tickles, being upside down, getting dirty, grass, rocks, sand, bare feet, standing, crawling, cruising, bouncing, pushing, being carried, being worn, the front porch, people who smile at him, being nosey, nursing, clawing my face, pulling my hair,

Dislikes are mommy being out of sight, mommy putting him down when he doesn’t feel like being down, mommy taking a shower, not getting nursies fast enough and falling on his head.

We will title this month’s photos: Can’t Hold Him Down

9 Month Milestones (from Caroline’s 9 month post)

Mastered Skills (most kids can do)
Stands while holding onto something – Very good at standing and has started letting go. Sometimes when I put him down I forget and just leave him standing in the middle of the room.
Jabbers or combines syllables – He definitely thinks we’re having conversations.
Understands object permanence – Ah yes, the “never pee alone” stage.

Emerging Skills (half of kids can do)
Cruises while holding onto furniture – He’s an excellent cruiser. He also uses a couple of walkers and the chairs to the kid-sized table to get places the permanent furniture doesn’t connect to.
Drinks from a sippy cup – Eh. I give him some water sometimes, he’s mostly uninterested.
Eats with fingers – He can definitely get food into his face with his hands.
Bangs objects together – I’m not actually sure I’ve seen him do that. There go my hopes he’s a prodigy on the cymbals.

Advanced Skills (a few kids can do)
Plays patty-cake and peek-a-boo – He doesn’t have that much control over his hands yet.
Says “mama” or “dada” to the correct parent – No, he still mostly refers to me with a high pitched screeching.

Caroline chased me around this play table for 20 minutes before she let me take her picture. And then she collapsed in an exhausted heap because WALKING IS EXHAUSTING. I was happy to comply.

I asked Little Evan what he wanted to be for Halloween and he said “DINOSAUR! RAWR!!!” Of course, that’s also what he said when I asked what he wanted for breakfast, what he wanted to do today, and why he kept trying to lick his sister. He’s a little bit obsessed with dinosaurs right now, thanks to that horrible Dino Dan kid (just shut UP already, NO ONE CAN SEE THE DINOSAURS. YOU MIGHT BE INSANE). Luckily, dinosaur costumes are cheap and readily available from every single costume store on the internet so I didn’t have to kill myself trying to sew one.

Instead, I pinned all my adorable handmade costume hopes and dreams on Caroline. And what’s more adorable than a baby in a tutu?

Can you tell what she is yet?

How about now?

Don't say "a yellow statue of liberty" because that doesn't make any sense

It would help if she was smiling

The headband is just felt cut and hot glued around a piece of elastic. The tutu I made with my own tutu tutorial on a piece of elastic instead of a ribbon (which was a mistake, because it’s a little too big and if I had used a ribbon I could just tie it tighter). The onesie was on clearance at H&M. BOOM. Sunshine baby.

I’ve been trying to take pictures of her in the costume for three days now, but she’s been a crying, snotty mess every time she was awake. I forced her into this photo shoot yesterday and couldn’t figure out why she was STILL such a crying, snotty mess until an hour later when I finally tracked down a thermometer (hereby officially labeled with a big giant black “R” for…well, you know how to take a baby’s temperature, right?) and discovered she had a fever of 103.6.

I’m expecting my Mother of the Year award to come in the mail any day now.

So we’re stuck at home today, not having photo shoots, hoping Caroline feels better soon and I don’t end up at the pediatrician and/or the hospital with a dehydrated baby. Little Evan is thrilled he’s not being forced to interact with humans and can watch all the Nick Jr he wants while I cuddly the sick-o and try to (literally) nurse her back to health. Thank God Dino Dan is only on once a day.