Keeping Up with the Davis': Growing Boy

Believe it or not, my baby boy is already nine months old! Over the last 3 months, the little guy has changed and grown so much. As a result, this post is all about my little Hayes J

Once this little monkey figured out how to sit up, he was no longer interested in tummy time. Who wants to lay face down when you can sit up, see everything and use these cool things Mom keeps calling “hands”? Smart little man, if you ask me (but, then again, I am a bit biased). So, needless to say, I was convinced that this kid would never crawl; he would one day just take off walking. Contrary to my expectations, sometime around 8 months, he figured out how to pull/scoot himself from one location to another using those strong arms of his. This scooting thing; however, was a lot of hard work and it did just seem so much easier to let out a little cry and this lady that calls herself “Mommy” will carry him anywhere he wanted to go. Slowly, but surely, around the same week he turned nine months, the scooting and the crying technique subsided and this little guy figure out a much easier way to get around…..crawling! Most importantly, might I add, he figured out how to stand up on EVERYTHING (doors, drawers, tables, toys, couches, etc.). Mobility opens the world up for a nine month old. So many new things to explore and do and so little time in the day to get it all done. It also opens up a new can of responsibilities for this Momma! Wow this kid is on the move and boy am I in trouble! In a matter of just a few weeks, he has bruised both cheeks, pulled tables down….and the list goes on. The kid already climbs the stairs!! Needless to say, some major baby proofing will soon be underway in this house.

In addition to this whole mobility thing, there are many other very cute and fun things he is doing lately, below are just a few of my favorite:

· He signs “All done” when he is finished eating and “milk” when he wants his bottle. He much prefers the bottle over the baby food, so I often see “all done” and then “milk” at dinner time.

· When we say “Sooo big”, he raises his arms above his head and grins that precious little 4-teeth smile of his. He learned this from his Nanny.

· He has just started eating more ‘table food’ – yogurt melts, mashed potatoes (don’t worry – without milk), teething biscuits, fruit, etc.

· He loves to clap to music. He knows how to turn on the music in his little house and then he claps through the entire song.

· He adores his sleep sack. When he is really tired and ready for nap or bedtime, he giggles quietly out of excited when he sees his blanket.

· He has a bit of a temper. When he gets mad he grips his hands very tightly, grunts and his face turns the brightest shade of red you can imagine.

· He says “uh-oh”, but with a grunt. It is hard to explain, but VERY cute.

· He LOVES shoes. If there are a pair of shoes on the first floor, he will find them and inevitabily get mad when I take them away.

· He really enjoys bath time and does his little giggle as soon as he hears the water running.

· He is a little “Mommy-spoiled”….or so some have told me J He does tear up every now and then when I walk through the room and don’t pick him up.

· He loves balls. He would play with a ball for hours….rolling it, chasing it….

9 month stats:

- 28 inches – 47^th percentile

- 19.8 pounds – 37^th percentile

- Has 4 teeth, two on the bottom came first, quickly followed by the two on top

- Sleeps 12 hour nights (approximately 8-8), plus takes 2 naps a day (1-2 hours each)

- Eats 3 real “meals” a day, followed by a 7 oz bottle. Typically a “meal” consists of a jar of baby food. - -- He also has one additional bottle before bed at night.

- Overall, he is a very healthy, growing little boy

My little monkey is right on track for growth and development. I am always amazed at how these kids grow and develop so perfectly in just a short time period. This is, without a doubt, nothing short of a continuation of God’s miracles. I am so incredibly grateful for my healthy, happy baby boy. I am doing my very best to enjoy every minute of his first year because it is going by so quickly.

Below are some recent pictures of one of the two cutest little kiddos that bring so much joy into my life.