... clocked in at 19 lb 7 oz and measured 28 1/2 inches long at his last well-baby visit, though we're pretty sure that's at least a full pound short since the boy was writhing and screaming bloody murder the entire time Luke had him on the scale.
... says "Momma"! In addition to his typcial mamamamama stream-of-consciousness babble, just as often he'll stop after the second syllable and look directly at me. Hello, heart-breaking!
... points at things he's interested in, especially during reading time. He's also taken his sister's cue and started pressing his face against the pages when he sees something he likes, giving his best imitation of a kiss.
... claps just as enthusiastically whether he's happy or ticked off.
... has decided that Hand, Hand, Fingers, Thumb, his former Most Favorite Book in the Universe, is now tainted with evil. You can bet any amount of money that the tears will fall before the first monkey can even think about laying a hand on his drum. Current loyalties lie with the Animal Babies series, Kate Tom's Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star, and Inside, Outside, Upside Down.
... will get two or three Cheerios in his mouth for every twenty placed in front of him. We'll find them under his legs, in between the folds of his shirt, on the floor, and sometimes on his chin.
... is still happily eating level-two jars of baby food. We've tried chunkier ones, but he has difficulty swallowing the pieces and ends up gagging himself. (Luke still makes his own occasionally, but in the depths of all the sickness we experienced last month, it fell off our long list of priorities.)
... can hold his own bottle but seems indifferent to it these days. There are times when he either stops after a couple of ounces (that alone taking twenty minutes to accomplish) or refuses it altogether. The nurse at our pediatrician's office explained that sometimes when babies are teething, it hurts for them to suck and drink. Or he could just be growing tired of the bottle. No complaints there, so long as he continues to take in an ample amount of formula.
... has two whole teeth (with more on the way, if his nighttime waking is any indication).
... fights diaper changes every. single. time. EXCEPT when he's on a public changing table. Thanks, I guess?
... is cruising along furniture and pulling himself up on any available object (or person) in arm's reach.
... celebrated his first Halloween as a pumpkin, just like his sister did, except that his costume came from my co-worker's sister because Kara's was size 18 months and Nathan is just now fitting into 12-month clothing. Samantha, Dan, and baby Danny (who's really not a baby anymore, why do I keep calling him that?) came from Chicago to trick-or-treat with us in our subdivision, but since he and Kara both spiked a temperature that evening, our visitors had to go solo.
... was baptised on the first of the month, with Molly taking on godmother duties and Luke's best friend Tom as godfather.
... adores the quilt Molly made him in honor of the occasion. He loves to roll around on it and study the patterns.
... can entertain himself for several minutes just staring out the window.
... laughs like a hyena. I don't know how else to describe it. He's always sounded this way, but the older he gets, the more pronounced it becomes and therefore more contagious to anyone within earshot.
... considers diaper wipes to be a suitable snack and will zero in on the container whenever it's in his line of vision.
... still fits comfortably in our Chicco Key Fit 30. By six months, Kara's legs were dangling over the seat, but Nathan just might last until his first birthday. (Kara was in a convertible at this point.)
... behaves splendidly around family and friends during daylight hours, but at night, only Momma or Daddy will do. (One of several reasons I've been dragging my feet on the whole "finding a baby-sitter" thing, though I did ask one of my co-workers for the names of his sitters since he was gracious enough to offer. I don't actually have the list yet, but good intentions and all that.)
... isn't as comforted by his bedtime lion as he used to be.
... continues to have dry, extremely sensitive skin and requires several applications of lotion plus one treatment of cortisone cream a day.
... embarked on his first "Mommy and me" road trip two weekends ago so that I could see my sister Ryan while she was visiting from Germany. She came to Nathan's baptism and got to meet him there, but only for a few hours; our original plan was for the whole family to make the drive, but then Kara got sick in addition to putting on a fantastic show at all hours of the night, and there was no way we were putting ourselves through that hell in someone else's house. So Luke stayed home with Kara while Nathan and I went to Chicago, and this will sound silly, but I was so nervous because it was my first time traveling alone with one of the kids, and I was afraid I would forget Nathan was with me and, I don't know, leave him at a gas station off I-65, but it was great. He was a dream for ninety percent of the car ride, and he only woke up a couple of times that night, and he so loved all the attention he received. Plus, it was such a treat to spend that one-on-one time with him--a rarity with second children, I'm fast learning. But he takes it all in stride.
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And now, because I am a mother wracked with guilt over posting her son's update more than half-way through the month, allow me to bombard you with pictures.
Under normal circumstances I would consider this picture too blurry to publish, but I know you, Internet, and I knew you would want to see Cheerios' newest poster child in action.
The cutest, manliest pumpkin-and-monkey set you ever did see (at least in the state of Indiana).
The birthday buddies together for the first time, with proud Daddy D waiting his turn and little Jack chillaxing in the background. (Doesn't Ryan look fabulous? Marriage and Germany so agree with her.)
Enjoying the fruits of his godmother's creative labor.
Checking out the cool toys at Auntie Samantha and Uncle Dan's house.
My boy and I at our favorite apple orchard in northwest Indiana, taken mid-October during a three-day weekend with Luke's parents.
Working on becoming the next Houdini.
When Maggie was teething (and had earaches) at 9 months we moved her to a Nuby sippy cup. The liquid came out easier than the bottle. She never went back to the bottle and it was easier to hold - just a thought. He is sooooo cute! Definitely the cutest pumpkin on the block!
Posted by: Bren | November 17, 2009 at 07:54 AM
He is awesome. I love his little argyle sweater vest in the picture with Ryan! It's hard to believe he's 9 months old already.
Just read Luke's dream list by the way, and it rocks. Hard. You guys are inspiring me. I think I'll work on one and maybe make it my last NaBloPoMo post.
Posted by: Jen L. | November 17, 2009 at 08:59 AM
I love taking my kids places, one at a time. It reduces headaches, haha, but also I get to remember who they are without the other kids, as individuals. We always have fun. :)
Posted by: Molly | November 17, 2009 at 09:59 AM
The look on his face in the pumpkin costume is priceless!
Posted by: Trilby | November 17, 2009 at 10:51 AM
I can't believe he is already nine months old. It doesn't feel like it has been that long since he was born! And he is such a cute little boy at that!
Posted by: AJU5's Mom | November 17, 2009 at 01:19 PM
He is just a doll.
One-on-one time is hard to come by. That's awesome you ventured out on a trip with him- I don't even like to take the kids to the grocery store alone (I'm a total wuss when it comes to travel, clearly). Good for you and here's to hoping those two cuties let you and Luke enjoy a few evening out!
Posted by: rkmama | November 17, 2009 at 03:08 PM
What a guy! He is happy male in those stipe shirts.
Posted by: daddyd | November 18, 2009 at 07:44 PM
So other kids do that "kiss and embrace favourite pages of the book" thing too? It must be one of those innate responses like rooting and sticking out the lower lip when upset!
Thanks for the update!
Posted by: eva | November 20, 2009 at 12:12 PM
Wow, he is a strong, healthy little boy! Love the Cheerios picture!
Posted by: Parsing Nonsense | November 23, 2009 at 06:16 PM