9 Months: It's Passing Too Quickly!

Kynlee, Westin, Brooklyn and Gage, along with Jackson in the background

Nine months have come and gone! I honestly don't know where the time has gone, but at the same time, I feel like these babies have always been here. They are really moving (crawling is getting pretty quick) these days and everyone is pulling up too! Kynlee's been pulling up for almost a month and the others have all started in the last week or two. Brooklyn is doing it more than the boys, I guess those girls are just more motivated than their brothers. With improved crawling comes more climbing on top of and over each other. I honestly think they do it sometimes, just to make each other mad! If that's starting already, I'm in real trouble down the road! They've also learned a little game called follow the leader. There is nothing funnier than walking into a room and seeing a line of babies crawling to the kitchen. Kynlee is usually the "leader" in this game.

They just keep growing, so here's the latest:

Brooklyn

Nickname: "Brooklyn-bear" or "Brook-brat" (this one was given to Clint by the woman that cuts his hair, she also has a Brooklyn at home)

Weight:15 lbs 15 oz (my little bit)
Length: 26.4"
Personality and Development: Brooklyn is finally crawling more than she army crawls. Still the occasional scooting around on her tummy, but since she has gotten better at pulling up the army crawling is significantly decreasing. This has just happened in the last week! She is pulling up very well (she started right before she turned 9 months old), but she can't get down very well yet. So, she pulls up and then panics, though I'm starting to see her try to get down more! Recently, Brooklyn has also turned into quite the momma's girl. She sometimes will only quiet for me when she gets upset. She will cling to me and wrap her arms around me (as far as she can anyway). I love this!

Gage

Nickname: "Gagers" or "Chubber Cheeks" (It cracks me up when Jackson calls him this) or just "Chubs"

Weight: 19 lbs 2 oz (almost a pound more than Jackson weighed at 9 months old, he was only 18 lbs 3 oz!!)
Length: 27.4"
Personality and Development: Gage is EVERYWHERE! He's gotten pretty fast and he can disappear from sight or hunt you down in no time flat. He started pulling up on Tuesday (May 31st) and he is making good progress. He also cannot get back to the floor yet and we hear a lot of thuds as he continues to try! As always, Gage likes to eat!!! He is VERY into the finger foods and he just can't get enough. He is so funny. We are constantly laughing at him! My favorite current Gage moment is when we put him in his bed: if you leave the door open after you lay him in his crib, he pulls the bumper down so he can see out and then he hollers! It is so funny! I'm also pretty sure that Gage thinks he was supposed to come alone instead of as a package deal. I'm not really sure he likes the other babies . . . seriously!

Westin

Nickname: Westin doesn't really have one as much as the others. Aunt Kiki often calls him by his first and middle name "Westin Wayne" which has caught on more and more. I've also noticed that I have started calling both him and Jackson "Buddy Bear"

Weight: 18 lbs 9 oz
Length: 28.6"
Personality and Development: Westin is still my "lazy" one. He doesn't show much interest in picking up finger foods and he hangs back a little more than the others at times. While he may be a little lazy, he is also pulling up, though not as often as the others. He is so snuggly and smiley and I love it! When he wants to move, he can definitely make tracks, but he's just not motivated quite as frequently. I think he gets "picked on" by the others the most, they crawl over him and put their hands on his face when I'm changing his diaper, etc. Though I also see him do a little "picking" himself at times. If his smile is brilliant, his cry is equally as pitiful when he needs you come save him.

Kynlee:

Nickname: "Kynlee-belle" and Daddy calls her "Spaz"

Weight: 16 lbs 6 oz
Length: 27.4"
Personality and Development: Kynlee is scooting right along. She has been pulling to stand for almost a month now and she can get back down very easily. I've even caught her doing a little cruising here and there! She still high tails it to me any time she sees me and insists on being picked up! She is so funny and when you pick her up she just starts kicking her legs uncontrollably and smiling/giggling. Love this kid!

In other 9 month news . . . we have started finger foods! I kind of threw their little worlds for a loop when I shook up their feeding schedule last week. It took a few days and a little fussing to adjust, but we seem to be back on track now. We are now having 3 - 8 oz bottles a day and 3 meals of finger foods/pureed foods. Since increasing the "real" foods and changing bottle times, we've had a lot less spitting up which is awesome! Life has gotten a little more difficult now that the babies know they can come find me, but it's pretty fun too. At times I get a little overwhelmed by all the little people underfoot demanding my attention, but I also praise God everyday that all four of my babies are healthy and mobile and ABLE to drive me crazy! Looking forward to even more new adventures this month (as always)!