9 Month Old Boy!

My baby is now 9 months old; NINE MONTHS OLD people. I can hardly believe how much he's grown, and to look back on pictures when he was this immobile helpless little creature, it reminds me to be thankful every day for every special moment you have with the babe. I'm not going to lie, there are times when he annoys the crap out of me (like when all I want is a cute picture of him with his '9 months sticker' but he just wants to destroy it because it is sticky and looks like it may taste good) but I really try to make it a point to focus more on the great moments instead.

I'm sure you've all seen the Snapchat face swapping craze - I could never figure out how to get them until I realized I had to upgrade first! Only one kid and I'm already tech illiterate...Once I did figure it out though, fun ensued! Colin and I did the face swap and it was nothing short of horrifying. I discovered he also likes the filters so we play with those as well. Silly boy!

One thing I've really noticed in the last couple weeks, especially since Colin now has full reign of the apartment, is how different my parenting type is from what I thought it would be. I thought I would have eyes on him all the time, clear a path when he's standing on something in case he fell, or manically vacuuming in case he eats something inedible - but I'm surprisingly the opposite. And maybe what is more surprising is that Chris is the cautious parent! I think a lot of it is due to the fact that I'm home with him all day, and simultaneously have to get other work done so I cannot possibly have my peepers on him at all times. I also find myself letting him do things I never thought I would - like putting a pot of water on the kitchen floor and letting him splash around in it or blowing up a plastic grocery bag and letting him play with it. I mean, you're only a kid once right?

Colin had his swim lesson as planned on Saturday! Colin is by far the youngest child in the class (next up is 14 months) but Ms Diane always comes to class with a special lesson plan for him. This week, she taught Chris drafting, which is basically when you pull him towards you to create a current, then let go to get him to go underwater & swim towards you. Chris said he was hesitant to let Colin go alone underwater, but Ms Diane said she thought he was ready, and sure as shi!t he was! She was so thrilled with his progress - it is so obvious Colin is her favorite. And really, how could he not be?!

I made what I hope is the last huge batch of pureed food this weekend - I know it is best for him but man, that takes a lot of time! I've been experimenting with "adult" foods more and more, but still give him pureed because I don't want him to go cold turkey to a big boy palate. I found some great recipes for coconut flour pancakes and carrot & zucchini muffins that he LOVES! We are still working on lunch, but he loves cottage cheese & hummus which I'm thrilled with. Plus, I prefer him to eat foods that I like as well, since he loves to share.

One thing I will always teach my child(ren) is to be their own person. I never fit into any mold - I was the kind of kid who in 3rd grade asked for a rock tumbler and books about Native Americans. I always beat to my own drum and as I got older I appreciated my parents for never trying to get me into dance class or Barbies or anything stereotypical because "that's what Becky's doing" (#lemonade). The majority of people spend the first twenty years of their life trying to fit in or "be cool/popular", but eventually they all try to be like the unique ones who have always gone against the grain. And this dude is nothing short of his own person and I'll always encourage it!