Nine Months...

What a busy busy girl and a busy busy month!  We took two long, yet quick trips... one to the beach to visit with Mommy's college friends and their families and another to Florida for a family reunion (& a quick stop to see a dear friend along the way).  Mommy was either too busy making memories or chasing Sissy to take many pictures, so you will just have to imagine the fun we had.  Sissy wasn't too sure about the ocean, though she LOVES the sand... eating it that is!  We thanked the good Lord many, many times for her stellar behavior in the car.  Thankfully, she has developed a routine of sorts and napped most of the time. 

Outside of road trips, we have enjoyed some quality time with our cousins (Mommy never wants them to leave!!!  They are great playmates, babysitters, helpers, & friends.)  Sadly, again we have no pictures, but will work on that soon!  Both girls LOVE being entertained by and entertaining M & E... Sissy waves almost every time she sees them, even if they have only been out of her sight for a second. 

Speaking of waving, somehow that precious wave never gets old.  Even when it is far past her bedtime or she is getting into something she shouldn't, she will stop, give you such an innocent look, and wave like she hasn't seen you in days.... Gets us every time.  She does seem to understand that the wave goes with "hey" and "bye-bye" now and will generally wave on command or when she sees a new person. 

Sissy still likes to shake her head "no" but not as frequently as last month.  She now saves that gesture for foods she does not enjoy or moments when she is being told "NONONONO" by three different people at once.  Her crawl is a bit more regulation now, though she doesn't put her right knee down, just left knee/right foot, but she is FAST!  She can also pull up on more things and move around while holding on.  She likes to test this standing/walking skill most in her crib at bedtime.  Just when you think she is asleep... she decides it is time to roam about the cabin, chew on the rails, and check-out the sleepy sheep.  I think she is going to be an explorer... much more than the goose. 

"DaDa" is slowing being replaced in frequency by "Mamamama" and "Ba-Be". Several times we thought we heard a "Hey" in the babbles, but the jury is still out on that one. 

The highlight of Sissy's ninth month, at least for us, was her dedication.  Both sets of grandparents and our great church family joined us as we promised to raise Sissy to know and show God's great love. We pray His love grows in her heart every day. 

The girls had matching dresses for Sissy's dedication & the Goose's fifth birthday photos...
Before Sissy was born I found two (on sale!) in the right sizes  that were exactly like my favorite gown the Goose wore as an infant.

The little red chair was the one item that my grandfather wanted from his mother's house...

We don't know how long it had been in his family, but he remembered having it as a child.

It is over 100 years old.

FIVE!

It doesn’t seem so long ago that we packed our bags with unnecessary items, clueless as to what one really needs to have a baby, and headed to the hospital to evict & meet the goose. We had no idea what to expect, having taken no childbirth classes, and our only birthing plan was to do what we were told to do. Thirteen hours later, she arrived… (why is it people say you will forget the unfortunate details of labor??? That is a total lie!) and five years later… we are still clueless!

Each year brings new milestones, challenges and joys… some of them we expect and more than a few surprises too. This year was no exception.

We valiantly battled cdiff (more than once), and, for the time being, have conquered that foe. We’ve even managed to reduce our visits to our favorite GI, though it seems he will remain a part of our lives for the foreseeable future. Still, we rejoice at a year of less tests and less illness!

This year the goose has grown almost four inches, added a few pounds, expanded her vocabulary, learned to read, and gained a great deal of confidence and independence. There are no more tears when leaving Mommy’s side, though still a few when I return. But that’s ok… at least I know she’s had fun wherever she has been.

Though much more mature at five than four, the goose still LOVES babies… pretend and real. Her motherly instinct is quite strong and there is always enough love to go around. Until this year, all of her babies received names associated with their appearance, their giver, or the names of real babies she knew. This year however, dolls receive new names on a regular basis, much to the chagrin of Mommy & Daddy, for we are frequently scolded when we refer to the babes by their former names. For a brief stint, we were forced to veto some names as the made-up moniker came a bit too close to profanity (Pissco, for example). Thankfully, the goose ditched Deno, Cesco, and Only (pronounce Aun-lee)… for more socially acceptable names like Gracie, Grace, Mary Grace, and so forth. Still, I will always cherish Pretty Baby, Necked Baby, Big Baby, Tiny Baby, Laughing Baby & The-Baby-Amanda-Gave-Me.

Of course the biggest event of her fifth year was becoming a big sister. She loves Sissy with all her heart, and I pray that lasts forever. She is a great helper, playmate, comedian, and cheerleader. What more could a little sister (or Mama) ask for?

Evidently Sissy, Daddy & I do not provide enough companionship for the Goose, for she has invented several imaginary kids. Currently the roster includes Linda, London, and Lindsey. These three must be referred to as her “kids”… not her “friends” or “daughters,” and “They are not imaginary! I’m pretending that they are real.”

Yes, we remain clueless. What the next year holds only God knows, but I do know this… as long as we have this silly goose… there will be laughter. Happy Birthday!