Snips and Snails and Puppydog Tails

I know I say it every time, but time is just flying by. People like to remind me lately that Sam’s first birthday is just right around the corner. I’m not ready for that yet, people! I want him to be a baby for as long as possible; don’t rush a toddler on me!

Sam turned 8 months old two days after Christmas, on the 6th birthday of my fabulous and beautiful niece, Eliana. Since we (thankfully!) had not been to the doctor around then (the whole month of December, actually – woohoo!), I don’t have height or weight stats for you. But, something tells me you’ll forgive me when you see these pictures from around his 8 month “birthday”

Happy with his walker - he's a pro at it now!

I'm sure I've used this caption on this picture before, but, really, BEST. PRESENT. EVER.

Now, at his 9-month checkup, Sam was once again perfect. He charmed the nurse and doctor and giggled and giggled for them. He didn’t much like it when the doctor used the tongue depressor to look in his throat, but that and when he got his last Hep B shot were the only times he fussed. At 9 months, he weighed 19 pounds, 2 ounces (about 25%), and 28.5 inches long (about 50%). He’s in between his friends Lily and Austin in height, but he weighed the least of them, which surprised me!

Sam is getting better about trying new foods. He still loves puffs, and prefers veggies to fruit. But he also now likes wagon wheels (apple-flavored teether biscuit thingies that get really mushy and gross), cheese, carrots (diced and mushy). He also REALLY likes chicken (shredded up) and SPAGHETTI (yes, he’s TOTALLY my child). Recently, he’s also discovered he likes cantaloupe, watermelon, egg salad (he was BANGING the table for more when we cut him off), mashed potatoes, and baby cookies. Yesterday Sam also stole my cracker right out of my hand and had it almost in his mouth before I could stop him (did I mention he’s quick to get things to his mouth lately?)! Now, I don’t mind sharing with him, of course, but he was about to shove a whole cracker into his little mouth!

We now have FOUR teeth – two on top, two on bottom. The two on top finally broke through right after his 9-month appointment, and he has decided it’s kind of neat to tap or grind his teeth together. It must sound and feel very different from just having gums!

On Tuesday night (that would be 2/15), he stood BY HIMSELF for extended times (I’m talking somewhere less than a minute, but longer than just a let-go-and-fall) and it didn’t freak him out. In fact, he was so proud of himself; he was laughing and crowing. He stood there, hands in the air like, “I am the SMARTEST baby ever! Look what I can do! Surely I am the first baby to figure this out!” Of course, I had no camera of any kind (still, phone, or video) around to record the moment. Figures. Now he practices it quite a lot, so I’m sure I’ll have enough film to bore even the most doting family and friends before long. 🙂

He’s not really talking much yet, other than Ma-ma (mostly when he’s upset) or Da-da. I think he’s working really hard on Bubba, Bear and doggie and maybe even bottle and ball, but nothing official yet.  But, thinking of ball – with big brothers both playing basketball right now, Sam has discovered a new love: BA-SKET-BALL. But he doesn’t want his soft, Sam-sized basketball. He wants the big boys’ basketballs. They’re as big as he is, but that doesn’t matter to my mini-HeMan. He rolls them around, pats them, sings to them, and beams the entire time he’s allowed to play with them. I’ve tried to snap pictures of this, but have so far been unsuccessful. I promise to keep at it until I can share the adorableness with you. He also really gets into watching the games – he likes the action and even the cheering. He gets right into it! Yup, he’s their biggest fan.

Okay, this post has gotten long enough, so I’ll end it with some pictures of Sammo-Dammo that are closer to his 9-month “birthday.”

Bathtub smiles

Fun with Pretty-as-her-namesake Lily

Caught Sam mid-stand-up or sit-down, and Lily was clearly tired of picture-taking, but still a cute picture, if I do say so myself