9 Months Old...

Today Riley is 9 months old! She went to her 9 month checkup and I presumed she had to get some shots but that was not the case. She did have to have a little prick on her toe for an iron test but that was it...and she didn't even cry. The nurse distracted her with her shoe while she did the prick and Riley had a somewhat puzzled look but then went back to playing with her shoe. The nurse then preceded to squeeze her big toe to get blood to come out and Riley would literally look at her and growl...not cry...growl! It was hilarious. Jason said I should have gotten video and I wish I had, but what kind of mother takes a video camera to a doctor's appointment when she assumes her daughter is getting shots...not this one! She is one healthy little girl measuring 28 1/2 inches long (90th percentile) and 20 pounds (75th percentile). Here are some things Riley is doing at 9 months old and some video to prove it!

• Still a great sleeper...this past week she has not been napping as well at daycare but that hasn't affected her sleeping at night so I'm sure it's just a phase!
• Waving, clapping, and blowing kisses! How fun it is to see her little personality come out. At this point she has attempted every possible way to clap...clap her hands, clap her feet, and last night she clapped one hand with one foot...not much more she can try...she is rather coordinated even exhibiting clapping her hands together and her feet together at the same time!
• Moving...but not crawling. I keep thinking she is going to be crawling ANY day and here we are still no crawling. This does not meant that she is not moving around. Check out the two videos below to see my point. She moves in a circle somewhat like a Lazy Susan and gets around that way and she also still rolls and scoots wherever she wants to go. She is super close to crawling, but just hasn't quite taken that last step.
• She loves to walk when you hold her hands...a newfound freedom and perspective for her. Nothing lights up her little face more than being able to move around in this fashion. Sometimes when I go to set her down she keeps her legs locked because she doesn't want to sit down...she wants to stand up! She is not pulling up on her own yet, but if I stand her up and show her how to hold onto something she loves that too!
• She is talking a lot more now...Mona at daycare tells me she says "Heeeeellllloooooooo" at school all day trying to get her friends attention...so cute! MaMa and DaDa are common words around our house these days, but still not sure that she applies them to me and Jason!
• Still two bottom teeth, but I think we are fast approaching the arrival of some new ones!
• I think sharing might be a hard lesson for Riley to learn...seeing her interact with other kids has brought to light the fact that she is a bit of a toy hog. If someone has a toy she is very quick to grab it and claim it as her own and it doesn't matter if you're only 3 months old she will still steal from you. I have started using the word "No" to her very calmly, gently, and repetitively...don't think she gets it yet but I'm sure that's not far away.
• She is also showing sneek peeks of what her temper tantrums might be like...she has this one cry that is totally a whiny squeal...I hear it when I take something away from her, or hold her down while I'm changing her diaper, or take her out of the bathtub. I just let her get it out and usually in about 2 seconds she has a better perspective on the world!
• And last but not least, Riley ate solid foods for the first time tonight!!!!!!!!! She had eaten the Puffs cereal, but the doc said today that we could start with solid foods and tonight she had macaroni and cheese and green beans...her mama's two favorite side dishes! She did great and ate everything up without a problem...it was so fun to see this new accomplishment but it was also sad because she's just becoming such a big girl...bittersweet. Here is some video first of her Puffs experience and second of her first night of solid foods!