Free Legs!

My legs are out of jail! We got the good news this week that my hips are healing perfectly, and I get to take my brace off during the day. "Freaking Ecstatic" describes how my parents feel right now. No surgery, no spica cast, no long term damage to my hips, no more epic diaper changing sessions... I could go on and on! We feel very blessed that we only had to endure a few short months of inconvenience with the brace, there are worse things. Now I've got work to do! It was a strange adjustment that first day with my new free legs- I pushed myself to exhaustion trying to crawl and move around. I refused to nap in the morning because I was too busy, then I crashed for double my typical afternoon nap time. This freedom is exhilarating- I am having so much fun! Thank you all for your prayers- they worked!

Happy Valentine's Day!

Hope you all had a great Valentine's Day! Mine was perfect, I dressed up in my adorable new outfit from my Aunt Julie and cousin, Kalyn. And we loved the new bib from Nana! I could get used to this holiday gift-getting business!

Cheerios

Big news! I have achieved another major milestone: eating Cheerios! Each one receives the same careful process... first, I stare it down, using the element of surprise to my advantage. Next, I gingerly pick it up (yes, it appears that I am a lefty (like my Dad, Poppy, and Mawmaw) when it comes to eating!). Then, with a lightning fast motion, I bring it straight to my mouth for gumming. Mom and Dad are fascinated with my new skill- it's a party every time I sit down to eat these days!

9 Months Old

I'm such a big girl! To celebrate my big day, Mom and I painted my bedroom. I know, it took almost 7 months to complete the room, but we think it's finally perfect! My mobile is still one of my favorite things, especially now that I can grab it and shake the crap out of it. My horsey is a new surprise- he has been coming out to play lately. Mom laughs at my funny reaction every time she pulls horsey over to me. I'm just trying to figure out if he's a dog like Maggie and Moxie. He lets me grab his nose and pet him. It's shocking when Mom squeezes his ear and he makes the horsey sound- it freaks me out a little bit. Thank you, Uncle Dale and Aunt Elaine for my awesome (scary) rockin' horsey! 9 months is my favorite age so far. I'm becoming more opinionated about things like having my diaper changed (it is SO boring and takes too long), keeping Mom or Dad within a 3 foot radius at all times (I do NOT like being left alone in a room), and learning some words (I'm working on "bye-bye" with a wave). Mom and Dad think that I am the best baby, ever!

Boo Boo

It's been a rough week. I did a face-plant onto the tile floor at school and got this bruise on my forehead (right under my hair bow). My teacher felt really awful about it. She said I am wild now, scooting all over the place and they can't keep me on the mats. Mom knows that I can't be trusted to stay in one place anymore... here I am scooting backwards while I practice crawling in my brace. The "wild" description fits- Mom has trouble taking my picture because I like to grab the camera, and I am FAST. I am more fun every day!

"Yay!"

There is a big personality in this tiny body! This is me going crazy over my pretty beads from the parade. I don't know why Mom and Dad think this picture is so funny- Dad keeps bending over and grabbing his stomach because he is laughing so hard.
Dad taught me a new game this weekend- we clap and say "yay!".
At school my friend, Charlie, was showing me his "bye bye" wave while I showed him "yay!". It's really fun, I love to show Mom my new trick.

Parade

This weekend we went to the pirate parade with some new friends!
The Dads pushed the strollers while the Moms went on the hunt for funnel cakes. The best part of the whole day was catching the pretty beads that the pirates threw from their floats.
The beads were AWESOME. I even went cross-eyed staring at them. Don't worry, it's not like Mardi Gras, I didn't have to show any skin to get them. There were some interesting characters at the parade- the people in this town take their pirate traditions very seriously... At the end of the day I fell asleep, still gripping my cool beads.