So here we are, 9 Months. I never thought we would meet. What I mean to say is, I was hoping we would never meet. I was, in fact, hoping I would not meet my 28th birthday, but that came and went, so I’m not shocked that my baby girl is now 9 months. I’m just shocked. If there was a difference.
Last night I attempted to put her in the crib. We spent most of the day in the newly redesigned-for-baby living room, which meant a huge couch moving into the dining room to act as the largest dog bed, ever. It also meant my foam workout floor mat is now where Addie plays. While I wish I could say “I want it back,” I’m just happy someone is actually using it now!
We began our routine as different as different could be. She had her milk downstairs, and after finishing we headed up to her room. Usually, she eats in our bed, slowly drifting, and then gets into PJs and we put her in the Pack ‘n’ Play (upper level) next to the bed. However, I feel like she is hearing better AND she’s learned that she can sit up. Milestone + hearing = not so great at getting to sleep. And so, in her room, after her milk, I undressed her, changed her diaper, put her in PJs and we sat in my plushy rocker. I have not been in that rocker for a while, and it felt so good. Oddly, it brought me back to when she was still just nursing (I like to call it BP… before pump). We would spend hours, both of us covered in milk and always drowsy, unaware if 2:00 was AM or PM. This time however, we read. We began with Llama Llama Red Pajama, and moved into Chicka Chicka 1-2-3… which led to, naturally, my favorite, Chicka Chikca A-B-C.
I turned her facing me, and hugged her to my body as she lifted her head and smiled from behind her bink. I laid her in the crib, turned on the music to her Baby Einstein Aquarium… and there she fell fast asleep.
What?
This is the first night in your crib! You’re not supposed to fall fast asleep.
I wanted to wake her. I wanted to hold her to me and tell her she needed me to fall asleep.
But I let her sleep. I let her be.
I know that when and if she gets tubes, she will hear better. Way better. Dave and I are not quiet people. We stay up late watching movies and talking about work and our dreams for the future. Being in our room, she would not get the rest she needs, but falling fast asleep for her first night was so unexpected.
I envisioned replays of some recent afternoons, where taking her regular afternoon crib nap has been a struggle. Napping without mommy is never fun- mommy knows that more than Addie- so I was 100% thinking, this will be a fun experiment. And there it was. Not fun, but terrifying.
There was a wake-up around 10, and hour after she’d gone to bed, and Dave and I tried our hardest to soothe her without picking her up… until I patted her bum. Diaper change… and directly back to sleep. As usual, she woke herself with a few screeches in the night, but put herself right back to bed. I stared at her through the monitor from 1:30-3am… and then, finally, fell asleep. Having two monitors definitely helped me relax.
I spent over an hour looking at this!
She woke at 7:15am (9-10pm and 10:30pm-7:15am her first night… let’s hope this wasn’t a fluke!), and Dave carried her to me before heading to work, where we snuggled until 8:45. When we both woke to make breakfast, I was able to get out of my side of the bed for the first time in 9 months, and the day so far has been calm and 100% tear free (not that she cries a lot anyway)! There are a thousand reasons it was time for her to move to the crib, and there are a thousand reasons for her to stay in my arms… co-sleeping has been proven to heal, soothe and cure if done for the first year of life. I plan on snuggling in the AM, like we did today… but I am so proud of my independent girl for making it through the first night better than me!
It’s been the longest and shortest nine months of my life.
Addie has been to over 12 doctors and specialists, traveled thousands of miles by train and car, made some great friends, watched hockey the day she was born, enjoyed football every weekend with grandpa, been bathed by her loving puppy-brother (Carter), won the hearts of hundreds of people she’s never met, and been my inspiration to be a better person, whether that be mom, wife, sister, daughter or friend.
Happy 9 months to my beautiful, energetic, always smiling baby girl.
Happy 9 month birthday Addie! Love the hair during play time. Wild! So glad she had a good first night sleep in her crib.
Thank you! Night 2 is going well… so I hope it wasn’t a fluke!
Happy 9 months little one!!!
(I adore the picture of her with messy hair. She’s precious!)
Thank you, Megan!
Love these 9 months pictures..especially the one where she looks down at the number! Seems she knows that she’s growing up, too! Love you, Addie!
Thank you, mom (Mima!). She ate her number :/ And that funky line on her eye is from napping on her bink. I guess it’s good it wasn’t in her mouth! I needed the pics to post the blog, so I took them. Maybe I can edit it out!
Happy 9 months Addie!!! I wish Declan slept that good! Love the photos.. her hair is awesome (I’m sure you may have heard that before 😉 ).
It’s scary that she sleeps so well… makes me wonder if we should have another. Addie spoils us with sleep (when I’m not looking at the monitor!)
Happy 9 months. She has to be the cutest!!!
Thank you!
Happy 9 months!! 🙂
Thank you!
She is SO flipping cute!!!!! And I totally think you need to let her hair go wild more often. I LOVE it. Ha!!
I have to agree. Her crazy hair is kind of amazing!
Aw, Addie is just too cute! And what a great job she did on her first night in her crib. I love that you just stared at the monitor for over an hour. 🙂
Thank you. It’s night 2 and she fell asleep after 2 minutes of crying. And here I am… never. going. to. sleep. again!
my goodness she always makes me smile. What a big girl, sleeping in her crib so well! And yes, it was harder on you than her, I remember that transition very clearly. Good luck tonight!
Thank you… so far so goo!
Happy 9 Months, Addie! So symbolic – a new birth, a new cycle …
That is fantastic hair. Foreshadowing for some wild toddler years…Happy 9 months!
Thank you!
Happy 9 months Addie! Now that she is sleeping in her own crib you will get no sleep! 🙂 We had a baby monitor for about a week, but after me obsessing over every little sound and not sleeping my hubby tossed it. We haven’t had one since, and I still hear everything. lol
OMG Candice… I turned off the sound because I can hear her across the hall (she’s only 7 feet away across the hall), and she screams in her sleep when she has an occurrence of apnea. The alarm has gone off twice on the Angel Care (once when she wasn’t on the sensor, and once because her breathing was shallow and stopped). I don’t think parents sleep even if children are good sleepers. Being a parent is the most rewarding and terrifying experience of my life!
Happy 9 months Addie! You are so adorable…I can’t get enough of your pictures. Little Cooper loves to look at your pictures too!
Chelley, I’m curious, Cooper (achon) will be 8 months on 1/24/13 and he is still SO FAR AWAY from being able to sit. I realize that all babies meet milestones at different ages, I was just curious what you are doing? Cooper has PT through Early Intervention, who meets with him once a month. I always work with Cooper and do all the things/goals we have set each month. Could it maybe be because Cooper is super “floppy”? Meaning, his muscle tone is SUPER SUPER low. He still doesn’t have full head control and just had sub-occipital decompression of the foreman magnum and C1. I am LOVING having my baby stay a baby longer than AH babies, I guess I am just impatient when it comes to waiting for my baby to reach these huge milestones!
Hey Heather,
We meet with EI once a month, but only to track her progress. I am not letting anyone do PT because Dr. Bober said it’s unnecessary. In terms of muscle and strength, we do LOTS of tummy time, and when she’s on her back, I encourage her to find her feet (which helps contract and strengthen her belly). She is very strong for an achon baby. She loves to hold onto things and stand up, and she’s getting really good and righting herself when she begins to waver.
With his surgery, I would just take it slow… is the recovery on that rough? Scares me so bad!
I know how you feel 100% about waiting. I don’t mind that Addie is a bit behind, but it’s so hard when other children are doing things, and your babe is just laying there. I always feel so sad, but not for her or because of her. Just sad.
I can just say what is repeated to me a billion times: it will happen. Cooper is amazing, and I know that he will get there with all the love you have for him! Keep doing everything you can to help, but I promise, he will get there when he’s ready. Lots of love to you, mama <3
I LOVE the 9 month stage!!! Have fun! She’s so cute!
Thank you, Kristin!
Love her hair when she was playing. Now she’s at the age when she’s fun to play with, I kind of miss that.
How about your daughter now? I live in Viet Nam and I receive a notice from my doctor yesterday for the same status with you. I’m in 34th week of pregnance. A genetic test was made 2 weeks ago, and FGFR3 gene was irregular. No clear advise and no medical treatment support. we’re really confused and worry. Your posts make us more hope and strength. We really want to know your daughter status now. We really need more experiences to take care my baby. Thanks and wait for your reply.
Hey! I wish I could offer medical support, but I am not a doctor! Do you have a specialist you can see to help with postnatal care?