Keeping up with Bethany

Wow, I'm glad Bethany waited to crawl as long as she did! We are busy as she has perfected crawling up stairs (not down yet), can pull up on anything and everything and even lets go for a short time, and has figured out how to un-babyproof the outlets by taking the plugs out - yikes!

She is so happy with her new found freedom but it is certainly harder to watch to make sure she isn't getting into something she's not supposed to! Bethany enjoys a lot of finger foods these days too: macaroni, crackers, all fruit cut-up and her favorite... eggplant. Funny girl.

Here are a couple of pictures of her in the last few weeks at 9.5 months.

This is an extension of our peek-a-boo game.. one of us hides and Bethany peeks around a corner at us and then erupts in laughter!


Here is a picture of her putting something in her mouth to transport while crawling. This is a mini makeup item from my purse - as you can sort of see she already ransacked the rest of the purse items. She takes random things, puts them in her mouth, and crawls somewhere else to play with it. Sometimes it is a stuffed animal and looks so realistic like she is a mommy cat bringing her kitten to safety. So funny!

There is that tongue again

She loves the musical table that Kathryn found on Craigslist for her a month ago

Getting brave

9 months old and some birthday pics

Bethany is 9 months old and full of personality! She is so excited with herself for being able to crawl that she is exploring everything. She is getting close to knowing how to clap and when she is really happy she makes her signature sound and flaps her arms together which sometimes results in them clapping. Pulling up to standing and letting go with one and sometimes both hands is her favorite activity - especially when there is something new nearby that she wants to reach. She is feeding herself some finger foods and her bottle. Her favorite book is her animal book which we have to read over and over and make the right noises each time. She loves family and familiar faces, and really likes it when someone gives her their full attention. Her hair is really thick (like Dan) but fine (like mine) so it sticks straight up and look like she has a mohawk. Because she knows how to sit up and pull to standing it has made bedtime a little more challenging. I've seen her chewing on the handrail in her crib and sleeping sitting up from the video monitor so we are hoping she figures out how to lay back down and sleep soon.

We got her passport picture taken this week for our upcoming trip to Mexico in September. It is funny to get a baby picture for a passport and I hope she does well on her second plane trip as this one is a little longer than our trip to Dallas! We're looking forward to our first family vacation.

Bethany's 9 month Dr. appointment went well and she has had a growth spurt since her 6 month appointment!
Height: 28 1/4 inches (75%)
Weight: 18lbs 1 oz (25-35%)
Head: 43.5 cms (40%)

It is funny she was in the 25% for height at her 6 month appointment and is now in the 75%! The Dr. said she is doing great and thinks she'll be walking before a year given how comfortable she is pulling to standing and letting go with one hand... who knows! Bethany is also learning how to get places crawling with the toy she is playing with. She simply puts it in her mouth, crawls, and then has it to play with again!



Me and my baby on my birthday
cutie pie

mmm, grass

I am a little cowgirl

Let's eat some cheerios daddy - I dumped some out for us

Hi Charlie - let me fix your hat

What a good nap under the umbrella after a fun day at the water park!

Summer Catch-Up

We have had a fun and busy couple of weeks! My birthday was a week ago and we had a great time at the cabin with friends and then celebrating with my family at a waterpark near Apple Valley. We had some cute pictures that I will have to post here sometime.

Then Dan's sister and her family came from Chicago for the week and it was the first time they met Bethany and the first time we met their daughter Emily born in December. Both of the little girls crawled everywhere and really enjoyed all the activity provided by my nephews Paul III and Jacob. The week was filled with visits to parks, walks and good food and then we spent the weekend at the cabin. The boys had fun going on a boat ride, fishing, sleeping in a tent and having a campfire. We drew all of the fun experiences with sidewalk chalk on our patio and it was funny to hear what the boys wanted us to help them draw. Bethany really liked Paul III because he would imitate her funny ah-ah-ah-ah noise and then she would "talk" back to him very seriously making the noise again. Paul thought this was hilarious so it made for lots of laughs all weekend.

Who knows how often we'll all get together, but we certainly made the most of this visit.

Here are some pictures from the past week and a half.

Bethany enjoying black beans for the first time

Bethany's first Twins game!

I love swimming with daddy (and I love saying "da-da-da-de")

Family pic - only the babies weren't looking so we think this is successful

How do you like our matching Huggies jean diapers?

a little less than 2 mo apart

Family pic

Dan's sister Melissa and smiley Emily

Grandma and Papa with the girls (nice tongue Bethany)

the boys getting ready to make s'mores

Paul, Jacob, Paul III and Uncle Dan with some of the sunnies

All the cousins - the boys in their Toy Story 3 costumes

I like my rocking chair that used to be mommy's and originally Grandpa's!

Bethany is crawling!

On July 20th we got home from dinner and started playing in Bethany's room and she started crawling! We got the video camera and captured the moment. I know she is so much happier now that she can get to where she wants to go on her own. A little over a week shy of her 9 month birthday, and in the same week she learned how to pull herself up to standing and go from her tummy to sitting more consistently. I guess we need to start babyproofing the house now!