Mary Elizbeth 9-11 months!

I'm a few months behind in updates on my little munchkin, as I mentioned in my last post. In addition to it being a crazy few months, she has gotten quite needy lately! Whenever I try to sit down and write a blog post, she either gets mad that I'm not paying her enough attention (like she's doing now!) or she tries to grab at my computer if I use my laptop. She is OBSESSED with technology! I don't know what her deal is but if there is a cell phone or computer in the same room, she's on it like white on rice! Monday she sort of attacked me trying to rip my phone from my hand, complete with slapping, biting and hair pulling. She's crazy!

Trying to be as close to the phone as possible.

But wow, is she at a fun age right now! She started crawling about a month ago. It literally took her about 24 hours once she started to really take off. Now she crawls everywhere! She can even crawl up steps, though she never has an opportunity to do so (thankfully!). She actually can stand on her own now but when she realizes what she's doing, she gets scared and either sits back or falls forward into my arms. She LOVES to walk when mom or dad hold both hands and help her. She is not quite confident enough to walk with just one hand for support, though I know she can physically do it.

Pulling up on everything

Being very pensive about something. I love this picture!

Riding on her princess car

Another reason for the lack of posting is her general moodiness. I couldn't figure out why my sweet joyful child had transformed into a cranky, angry baby...that is, until she got FOUR TEETH in less than 2 weeks! It wasn't just those 2 weeks that were rough though, it was the whole month leading up to it as well. Now she is almost 11 months old and has 8 teeth. She was happy and joyful again for about a day or two after that last one came in. Now she's back to being very moody so I'm wondering if the big bad molars are making their way through. This morning, I was talking to my friend Sandra about it. Her daughter is 3.5 months younger than Mary Elizabeth and hasn't started teething yet. She said that she was talking to a friend about it and said that her friend said, "Oh just wait until she starts teething. Welcome to hell!" Sandra was telling me how nervous that made her, hoping I could offer some reassurance. I said,"Well not to scare you...but it is like hell." Sorry friend.

Love that toothy little grin.

She has just moved out of 9 months clothes and into 12 months. We haven't had a check-up lately so I don't know how much she weighs but I'm guessing about 20-21 lbs. She was about 18.5lbs at 9 months and in the 70th percentile for weight. She's definitely thinned out a little since she started crawling but she still has those chunky thighs and chubby cheeks that I love so much!

These days, she loves to dance. Anytime she hears music, she will put one hand in the air, shake her little butt, and "sing" along with the music. It is about the cutest thing ever. She also loves to eat. She didn't do baby food for very long. At her 9 month well-baby visit, the pediatrician said that we could start on table food. It has been all people food since! She loves to eat what we're eating. She sems to prefer Italian food (insert proud sigh), like gnocchi, ragu, eggplant, risotto, cheese, any kind of pasta, and anything with tomatoes. We started making little smoothies for breakfast with yogurt, fruit, veggies, and cereal and she loves them. In fact, there are very few foods that she does not like!

Very happy about her pasta with meat sauce!

Eating Peas

I'm happy to say that I am still nursing her and still loving it! I nurse her 4 times a day now, though the last one is being phased out by her apparently. She has flat out rejected milk before bed for like a week now! Little stinker. :-) She naps from 10-11:30 and 2-3:30, still sleeping about 12.5 hours every night. Such a good little sleeper!

She loves stuffed animals and baby dolls and is always "giving them love," which means rubbing her face on them. It is so sweet. She does the same thing to Hershey dog on a daily basis. She still squeals whenever he comes in the room.

Snuggling with Lamby, her favorite stuffed animal.

Now I know this is going to sound crazy but she's actually starting to have a very good (albeit inconsistent) vocabulary. Hear me out. Not just me, but my mom, Parker, and my sister Collette have all heard her say "all done," "thank you," "puffs," and "Hersh" at appropriate times. She doesn't say them consistently or ever on command but she has said them more than once. I think she's a genius. ;-)

She learned "touchdown" just in time for the SEC Championship game!

She still loves outside though she gets frustrated that I won't let her crawl around out there. We've gone to the park once or twice and she seems to really enjoy it. She loves being around other kids and never has a problem being dropped off at Kelly's house for a playdate or Waumba Land at church. She loves hanging out with her friends, of whom she has many!

Playing with BFF Kate

Playing with cousin Morrigan

Other things she loves right now: being naked, clapping her hands, drinking out of cups, being chased by mom or dad, eating cherry tomatoes, throwing food off the high chair tray, pulling mommy's hair, playing with the stereo, being a "helper" to mommy or daddy, pulling laundry out of hampers (clean or dirty, it doesn't matter), and playing in the refrigerator/freezer whenever it is opened.

Clapping!

"Helping" mommy with the dishes (i.e. playing in the dishwasher).

"Helping" daddy change a lightbulb (i.e. trying to climb a ladder).

Things she does not love right now: holding still, being told "no," mommy/daddy/Hershey leaving the room, not being able to walk, nursing before bed (she's decided she prefers it out of a sippy cup then), and wearing anything on her head.

Lately we've been spending a lot of time in just a diaper...I can't help myself, she's just so cute!