Violet Update: 9 Months

Now that I have posted a few videos of Violet you can see that I wasn't exaggerating when I said she is a sweet baby, nor exaggerating about her smile. Her whole face lights up when she smiles...and lights up everyone around her too. Of course what smiling baby doesn't make most people happy?

We went to David's grandmother's and step-grandfather's funeral Saturday, Feburary 28th, and after two hours at the memorial service and no nap all morning (it was now 12 noon), Violet was getting a bit squirmy, and vocal...not crying but lots heh heh hehing and AHHH! AHH! really loudly. So we stand up to sing a closing hymn and she is getting unhappier by the minute. I hold Violet under her arms and sway her back and forth. This made her so happy. She had the biggest grin on her face. The people behind us, and people behind them etc (because we are family we were at the front) I could hear them smiling back at her...and saying "awww, how precious" or "how sweet"...and I could hear them waving at her too. This is an example of how mothers have eyes in the back of our heads when it comes to our children...we have the ability to hear "smiles" and "waves". Even at a funeral, her smile lifted some of the sadness in the room...and that is not a bad thing, in my opinion. After the funeral, several of these smiling waving people wanted to get a closer look at her. I can't say I blame them.

Every day since she started scooting, she is increasingly eager to get on the floor and travel further. She doesn't roll nearly as much. Only if she wants to get on her back or stomach.

When we were in the car with the kids the other day, Liam would reach for her hand and smile at her and she would start cracking up laughing. David tells me that when Liam would take his hand back, she would reach for it again. She loves playing around Liam. And as long as I'm in the room too, Liam is happy to play with her as well.

Her big brother always gives her, her bottle now...as I have officially stopped breast feeding during month 7. He also loves to put a blanket on her and give her a hug and a kiss...he's 'putting her to bed' and doesn't really like it when she wiggles out from under the blanket. Sometimes he will 'pin' her down, by holding her legs, so she doesn't move, Violet doesn't like that too much. And poor Vi, if I have just told Liam no, for I don't know...drawing all over our house...and he gets a time out...he'll go up to Violet and tell her NO for whatever it is she is doing. I don't want him to think I favor her more...but I'm also not going to allow him to punish her, nor will I even pretend to punish her for doing nothing wrong. So that's fun. There has also been the occasion where he'll hit her (not hard but still) or sit on her...or try to stand on her. I've mentioned before that he gets automatic time outs for that. Well sometimes Violet is very excited and waves her arms enthusiastically when her brother is close to her and will accidentally hit him. Or she'll grab at him because she's a baby. He says "OW!" and then "owwwwwww,huh huh huh". And tell me "no hit!" while looking at me, expecting me to punish her. But she's just turning 9 months old...how do you explain that to a 2 year old without him thinking things are unfair? So I tell him it was an accident and that it didn't hurt him. If she grabs him in the face and it does look like it hurt, I put her in a pretend time out on my lap through the count of 10 and have her give him a 'hug and kiss'. I don't know what I'm doing here sometimes people. Just making it up as I go along I guess...hoping I'm not screwing them up too badly.

Lastly, Violet FINALLY, cut her first tooth a few days ago. Table foods...coming soon!