Nine (and a half) months!

I have been remiss in posting a blog post, even missing out on the post-vacation post! Cate had her 9 month visit and weighed in at 17lbs 6oz and 26.5 inches.  She is eating more solids everyday...I am still trying to stick to the healthy, age-appropriate foods, but daycare is giving her all the fun stuff like beef ravioli, grilled cheese sandwiches and even cupcakes (my fault, I guess, since I brought them in for the teachers!!).  I don't think Cate has found a food she doesn't like.

Cate stands on her own for at least 10 seconds now, and loves to use a bin we got with hand-me-down clothes to use as her walker.  She cruises around the living room easily - she will definitely be walking in no time!  She still crawls easily up the steps, but we haven't allowed to her to try and master going down stairs.  She has a hard time deciding whether to walk or crawl, and we can't bear to watch her tumble head-over-heels!!

We still spend time in the pool on the weekends - Cate is certainly a water baby! She also likes to try and help Daddy play video games.  She still makes time to help with chores, though...like folding laundry!

For those of you with Facebook, we did enter her in the Gerber photo contest...you have to install a Facebook application, but you can vote daily!

http://apps.facebook.com/gerberphotosearch/entry/32737/cate.aspx

Unrelated to Cate (except for a new place for her to explore), but just as exciting...Erick finished the shower in the extension and it looks great!! 

It's Vacation Time!!

We are so excited to be leaving on our first family vacation!  We are looking forward to some much needed relaxation - basically doing nothing but eating, sleeping, and hanging out with Cate.

Cate is well on her way to walking...she is still testing the limits of trying to stand on her own.  In a derailment of my baby proofing plans, she can climb up steps and now quite easily joins me in the kitchen when I am cooking.  On the upside, soon she will be unloading the dishwasher for me! She already "helps" me with the cloth diaper laundry and adjusts the volume on our receiver (always louder, somehow)...

 

This past week she weighed in at 16lbs 9oz...unfortunately, the reason we know that is because we had to see the doctor (aka, my boss) because she had a fever and had to take antibiotics for a slight ear infection.  Hopefully we won't have ear issues on the plane!  

Cate is one happy baby!!

8 months old!

Yesterday our little Cate turned 8 months old!

Last weekend we enjoyed a nice three days off.  Cate took her first dip in our pool, although it was a little chilly.  We also took an outing to a "local" (45 minutes away) cloth diaper store for their grand opening.  Hey, at least Erick got to eat at a good restaurant while were there! He was a good sport, though, and acted enthused as I talked about the different diapers!

Cate finally will do a "real" crawl with her tummy off the floor (when she feels like it).  She is also working on her standing skills.  She has had more than one bruise on her forehead where she thinks she can let go for a little longer than she really can.  She has started to move very slowly between pieces of furniture (or mom and dad).  She is also clapping and even waving! We think MAYBE she said mama one time (and Erick insists when she cried at night she was saying it, but I am doubtful!).  Unfortunately, one "skill" she has acquired is biting, especially Erick and I.  She doesn't seem to understand the concept of "no", yet, but we keep trying!  She has only bitten one of her teachers so far.

Cate Can Swim!

Okay, she can't really swim, but she did have her first swim class.  As predicted from her love of baths, she was a natural in the pool.  She'll have four more weeks of class and then, of course, she'll have plenty of swim time at home this summer!

 I missed her 7-month update...on April 26th she was up to 15lbs 12oz.  She gained over a pound in the 3 weeks from her 6-month weigh-in!  She is starting to eat some finger-foods, including puffs and bananas, plus some waffle she steals from the older kids at daycare.

Cate has added "na-na" and and occasional "da-da" (we think?!) to her vocabulary.  She still scoots around the house, not quite wanting to lift her stomach and crawl on her knees.  Her new talent is finding anything she can to push herself up to standing, whether it is stationary or not.  Sometimes she thinks she can let go, which isn't quite the case, yet!

Happy Easter!

The three of us made our way to the early service today at church.  After one loud "ahhhh" during the moment of silence, Cate fell asleep for the rest of the service.  We were sitting near one of the four communion stations, so a quarter of the church got to ooo and ahh over her.

                                                                                                                

Last weekend Cate started saying "ba-ba"...and I think she sneaks an occasional "da" in there.  She also managed to maneuver herself into the sitting position.

This week she really started to stand while supporting herself.  She may not be crawling, but she'll be walking in no time.