Slacker

I have been a real slacker when it comes to blogging.  I know for records sake I'd be annoyed with myself if I didn't get this down.  So even though it's a month late here are Bracken's stats from his 9 month appointment. 

Length: 29 in (72%)
Weight: 16.8 lbs (7%)
Head: 62%

My little buddy boy is getting so big.  Here's what's up with Brackie at 9/10 months, he:

-is a huge momma's boy.  He follows me around all day long and if I stop for a second he starts climbing up my pant leg.

-walks along all the furniture and thinks it's hilarious to go in circles around the ottoman.

-is already getting into drawers and cabinets and ridding them of their contents!

-in a normal day, probably still nurses 10 times plus eats cheerios, bananas, a slice of bread, a graham cracker or two, another fruit, a vegetable, whatever we are having for dinner and if mommy is feeling especially nice, a handful of chocolate chips.  The kid is a eater, what can I say!

-is quite expressive whether it is whining, yelling, laughing or cooing.  You can always tell when he is well fed and rested cuz that is when the sweet cooing comes out.  Usually that is followed with lots of laughing and banging on things.

-loves the piano.  Whenever I play he is sure to only be seconds behind me.  He comes in, pulls himself up, reaches his little hands up to the keyboard and plays along with me.  And thinks it's just great!

-is not a huge fan of standing but more and more lately is caught standing for extended periods of time until he realizes what he's doing and drops down.  Yesterday he was so distracted with chewing on his rubber ducky that when Mark let go of him he just kept standing like he's been doing it his whole life and we couldn't help but laugh at him the whole time. 

-is obsessed with the laptop and tries all day long to steal it from whoever is playing with it or if it's left unattended he reaches and pulls until it falls off the couch. 

-loves his sisters even when they spend all days beating up on him.  Arya considers him her biggest threat to her happiness.  Sometimes all he has to do is get close to her and she worries he'll try and take something from her hoard of the day.  I tell the girls just wait a year and he'll be thumping on them and giving them back worse than they gave. 

-responds to "give me high five" by grabbing both your hands and clapping them together.  Adorable!

-loves toes...I know it's weird!  At church when I let him crawl around he inevitably finds a woman with open toed shoes and goes right after them.  

Why the crap is my baby boy almost one?  It's like some kind of sick joke or something!!  Ah, but we love our little Brackie.  He's taught me that having a boy isn't quite as scary as I thought it would be.  That it's a real possibility that we may not have more than 3 kids(something I never considered in my life before...I used to want 7 or 8 kids).  Not that he is an awful kid or anything, though he is my most challenging so far, but his pregnancy was a nightmare and even thinking of being pregnant ever again gives me little anxiety attacks.  3 kids under 5 is truly a huge undertaking and though right now every day is a huge challenge I am grateful for all 3 of my children. 

Audree may be almost 5 and still pee her pants every day, react to disappointment by saying poopy like it's a curse word and scream when something doesn't go her way but she is also really sweet and happy.  She's always the first to volunteer her stuff when asked to share.  She's easy going and is generally happy to be with whoever is around.

Arya may be the biggest brat in the world.  She may be incredibly possessive and treat everything like it belongs to her ie: a conversation we had the other day, Me: (scrubbing the stove down) Arya: Thanks mommy for making my house so clean! Me: Arya, sometimes you are so ridiculous! Arya: Yeah, I so ridiculous!!  Imagine her thanking me for cleaning her house...maybe we should start having her pay the mortgage ;)  She just may be my personality equivalent and some days I just have absolutely NO idea how to deal with her.  But despite all that she is so freaking adorable.  She's so free with her hugs and her kisses and mommy just eats that up.  She's not afraid to share how she feels and I love hearing "I so happy mommy!" 

Brackie may be a huge handful but when he isn't whining at me to pick him up or feed him he is happily roaming the house or interacting with his sisters or me.  He spends about as much time being adorable as being a pain in the rear.  He loves to share his drool big huge wet and sloppy kisses which despite being disgusting are also cute and hilarious. 

Life may be the hardest it has ever been but those 3 kids that make it so challenging also make it that much better.  I don't know where I'd be without their love and smiles.  And I really think I'm starting to sound really mushy so I'll stop before you all start barfing!! ;)