Carmel, California & Milestones

I feel like there are 100 things I could update you guys on. I'll start with some 9 month stats.

That's right, no typo, I have a 9 month old. She looks older, not so babyish and its killing me!!!! I realize I should start with some major 7 & 8 month milestones. This is long but the story at the end is worth it. Its total Bender luck.

7 months
* commando crawling on her belly
* She is flying around in her walker. She reverses, turn around in it and follows everywhere. We've been playing a lot of hide and go seek with her in it.
* she started clapping.
* her first tooth broke through on the bottom
* learned object permanence
* recognized herself in the mirror

8 months

* crawling on all fours

*waving bye-bye (Jolene actually taught her that, so cute)

* climbing over small barriers (like people laying on the floor)
* pulling up on things to her knees to obtain an object
* cut 5 more teeth (we have 6 now: 4 on top, two on the bottom)
* Her personality really changed from laid back observer to busy-busy bee. Always moving, changing diapers or clothes is a complete work-out. She is a climber and a diver...
* began moving around barriers to find a toy
* reproduces part of a game to continue playing 
* walking when you hold her hands

Carmel

For the second year in a row we have visited Luke and Courtney in California during September. It is always a blast!Lets look at a couple before and after shots...

Here is Court and I last year

We are holding mangos because that was the size of Amelia and Jolene (says baby center) at the time (they were due the same day).

This was us this year...

A lot has changed since then, and its not just the shorter hair do.


Kyle and Luke last year...

and then this year they were packing a few extra pounds...

and for the group shot...

and this year we've added a few more players...

and they look thrilled!

The other fun thing about this year is that Lanie came with us!!! It was so great having her there and she came in very handy on the plane ride home! (Kyle drove back with Luke from Cali and Lanie helped Court and I fly home with the babies!!) Which brings me to the best story ever...AMELIA'S FIRST PLANE RIDE.


So when you are flying with a kid there is a little nervousness to the adventure. You hope they don't cry and annoy everyone or get sick etc... So Kyle and I are half way through the flight, really enjoying everything and are amazed at how smooth it has all gone. Amelia has been great, I even got her to sleep an hour in the Moby Wrap! She's making friends and wooing the crowd and staff. She is laying on her back on my knees and we're playing. She rips one and I lift the side of the diaper to see if it was a loaded one and Kyle and I see poop rushing out like a tidal wave. I close the diaper quickly and we laugh in relief at the disaster we avoided. We continue playing and I reach behind her head and feel that its wet. I then notice a few other odd things, like that my pants are soaked on the inside of both legs (knee to crotch) the length of Amelia's back which is also soaked...I lift her up and realized the diaper did not contain the madness and was spilling out causing her to drip everywhere (grossing out every passenger around us). Code Blue (or Brown) and we move into action... I wrap her in 2 burp cloths and Kyle carries her to the bathroom where a dad holding and infant, a seasoned father and a flight attendant greet him with laughter and willingness to help. This is far better than the looks I got. I was following them with large brown spots all over my white shirt and jeans. I get her in the bathroom and send Kyle for back up clothes. Girl has poop everywhere!!! In her hair, hands, legs, feet, on her FOREHEAD!! The flight attendant brought me hazmat gloves, a trash sack and a stack of paper towels. I strip her down and bath her in the sink with the hand soap. She loved it! I Kept having to press the thing for more water, and keep her from diving out! Dress her in new dudes and clean the bathroom. Kyle was able to find him a new shirt to replace his now very soiled shirt (thanks to our bag being a few pounds over he threw some of his clothes in the carry-on). I however, was not so lucky. SO what is a girl to do than strip down and wash her clothes with airplane hand soap and blot it dry with paper towels.

the girls love each other so much and always have a blast playing.

We went hiking and picniced on the beach

Thanks Bourlons for letting us come visit!


A few shots of A on the plane ride home which was great and involved less poop.

last final thought...RANGERS, can you believe it! I'm so excited I cant even take it!!! What an amazing year for a team that has been through a lot. This team has so much personality and tenacity! And side note upon side note, how amazing must it be to have Nolan Ryan as your boss...World Series here we come!

...whew I did it, massive post done! Katrina, yet another blog post gets crossed off the list.
coming up
pumpkin patch