9 Months: Rolling, Babbling & Teething

Yup, that's one - two -
three - four bottom teeth!

Today Sammy turned 9 months old.  Little man mastered the art of rolling!  He can roll from both his tummy to his back and vice versa.  He also loves to scoot, so you have to keep an eye on him!  The last time my parents were down a few weeks before Christmas they brought a walker and he has loved exploring every crook and crevice in the house.  It's amazing how he has learned to back up, turn and drive that thing in such a short amount of time.  He is eager to crawl, but so far has only figured out a few scoots backwards.

Sammy loves to babble!  From the moment he wakes up to the time he goes down every night, this guys sharing his thoughts with us.  He says things like "dada", "baba", and "momma" but doesn't realize the connection, so no first words yet!  We've had some random Texas winter weather so a few rounds at the park this week have been a refreshing change from being stuck indoors for buddy boy who loves anyone who will push him in the swing at the park. 

Top two teeth are in -
one more about to cut through any day now

Thursday morning Sammy went to the sitters for the first time and did great!  He didn't cry when I left and his fan club (Cass and Lis) loved having him over as their adopted baby Sammy.  I even got a freshly baked scone out of the deal and the peace of mind that Sammy was with close friends and getting to play with other kiddos on a regular basis.  My Tuesday morning gig starts this week, so I'm pretty excited about my new schedule! 

Teething pains are not easy for such a young one to deal with.  We use orajel, Tylenol and teething tablets on a regular basis but he does not like anything cold so no ice chips, no teething toys (except good ole Sophie to the rescue) to bring him relief.  Teething is a difficult phase on parents, our kids put us to shame with their sweet innocence and lack of memory when it comes to all-nighters like we've experienced.  Many times Tim and I won't even really remember that well, maybe one of God's strategies to blur certain things to ensure we don't become bitter toward our child for things that are out of their control.  Sammy's a little trooper!  Hang in there little man, you're doing great.

Since Sammy began teething everyone has been asking me how nursing is going.  Obviously he's learning that his gumline is not what it once was, but he has never tried to chew on my "na-na's" like they were a teething toy.  His appetite has gone down some just because of the discomfort, but I continue to offer and he continues to want it, so it's working out just fine.  Obviously when a tooth cuts the gumline, it's very sharp so there's a little bit of concern when I offer, but if he did nip me, it wouldn't be anything intentional.  He's always been very gentle with me, although as of late he has had a thing for digging his finger in my belly button.  Goofy kid!  Kids at this age are incredibly curious about anything and everything!

Sammy's 9 month stats - 25 lbs, 10 oz in weight, 30.5 inches in length (98% for both).