then comes marriage...then a house...a dog...then three ways to wake a sleeping baby

Dear littlest Russell,

I have come up with three ways to wake a sleeping baby. Here they are in no particular order:

1. Deside that you yourself would like to take a nap. You settle yourself in and BAM baby is awake. 

2. You deside that you are going to eat something. The baby could be sleeping on a whole different floor and will sleep through most if not all of the time it takes to prepare and cook the food but as soon as you sit down to eat, that right there is the moment the baby will wake up. 

3. This one only applies to breastfeeding mothers. Your baby has desided to sleep in...nice right...except now your boobs are engorged and leaking. You take out your pump and get excited thinking you might actually get a bottle to put away for later use. As soon as you pump just enough to make the pump and bottle dirty but not enough to actually collect anything worth saving that is when the little darling will wake up after all. And the baby will be hungry so after you're finished feeding him make sure you go back and sanitize all the parts to the pump and bottle. 

There you go. Three easy ways to wake a baby. 

Love & Kisses,

Mom

then comes marriage...then a house...a dog...then baby is nine months old

Dear littlest Russell,

At Nine Months Old you:

• Can point and do a pincers grasp. 

• Can sign eat, more, all done and up (you recognize way more like milk, drink, water, dog, mom and dad)

• Have six teeth (two on the bottom and four on top).

• Pull yourself up and walk all over the place so long as you have something to hold onto. 

• Love music and any toys that play music. 

• Don't really nap in the mornings unless it's in the car on the way to something. 

• Can stand by yourself without holding on to anything for a few seconds. 

• Have to sleep in your pack n play until I can figure out how to stop you from trying to climb out of your crib. 

• Gravity fascinates you still. You love to feed the dog even though you know you are not supposed to by dropping food over your high chair tray. 

• Wear size 18 month to 2T clothing, size 12-18 month pants (but we have to roll them up because you're short), size 24-2T shorts, and size 6 diapers. 

• Weigh 20.8 pounds. 

Love & Hugs,

Mom

then comes marriage...then a house...a dog...then baby sign language

Dear littlest Russell,

At eight months old you are starting to sign back to Daddy and I. I find this to be amazing! We started sign language really early with you but we haven't been really consistent so I'm really impressed that for about a week now you have been doing the sign for eat. 

We have registered to take classes starting next week mainly so we can meet other moms and babies and to get out of the house now that all of our other activities have finished. I'm excited to see how much you really understand already and for our future communication skills to grow!

Love & Kisses,

Mom

then comes marriage...then a house...a dog...then baby has four teeth

Dear littlest Russell,

The past few days have been a bit rough for you. On July 1st you cut your third tooth and on your Grandma's birthday, July 2nd, you cut your fourth. 

You now have two bottom and two top teeth with the two middle top teeth riiiight there. Poor guy. Also it is really hard to get a picture so the above photo is the best I could do. It's hard to see the one on your top left but it's there!

You are growing up so fast. Everyday I feel like there is something new with you. I see the transition from baby into toddler happening much quicker than I ever thought it would. 

Love & Hugs,

Mom