9 Months

Where is the time goiinnggg??? My work schedule has regrettably increased, so this last month I was out teaching Tuesday and Thursday evenings, and Matt has softball and soccer games on Monday and Wednesday evenings, so we basically only have time to breathe on the weekends. Now that we'll be here for awhile, we've been spending some extra time at the Home Depot and trying to get settled, again, for reals this time.


Mariah is extra precocious lately. She crawls around the house like a cuddly little monkey (some days more like a feral chimp), scavenging for food along the way. The teeth marks on her crib railings are like hash marks, a record of how many seconds it takes me to release her from the prison every morning.

She has become a little more fiesty and opinionated, but her giggles are infectious and she is still super smiley. She can pull herself up on furniture fairly easily, and cruises along the ottoman and the couch, and between chairs. Her favorite places to hang out are on the fireplace ledge, or on the houseplant where she can sample the local flora.

Her crawl is...eclectic. She sometimes does the traditional hands and knees, but sometimes she'll only use one leg and drag the other one behind, or sometimes she'll hunch over and do a weird walk/crawl on her hands and feet. That one makes me laugh.

Mariah has a new favorite food. It is- surprise!- whatever I'm eating. Or what anybody else is eating. She has major food-radar and whines and begs for food by your feet until you give her a taste. When you hold out a scrap she guides your fingers into her mouth with both of her hands. Stephanie calls it her tractor beam hahaha. We're transitioning to more finger foods and table foods and less purees. Even though it takes twice as long for her to eat, she's a lot happier feeding herself and making a mess. Lately she's tried berries, scrambled eggs, wheat pasta, yogurt, peas, beans, and bread. Also she likes eating my wedding ring. I keep expecting to have her look up with my diamond in her mouth, like that scene from Robin Hood.

She is mama's girl to the extreme. Separation anxiety is no fun. For any of us. At least she thinks I'm hilarious and gives me plenty of kisses and snuggles. It's a package deal, this motherhood thing.