9, err, months

Being a stay at home mom does not lend itself to much beyond, well, being a mom. When I learned I would be a stay at home mom I made a big to do list, thinking I would be able to cross some of those long-lingering items off my list given I would no longer be balancing work and home. Silly me. Being a stay at home mom is all consuming. I am, much to my surprise, enjoying it, but have learned that I have time for nothing besides being a mom. There are moms I know who stay at home and have a spotless house, volunteer, and get countless other things done. I am not that mom. Maybe it is because we are not a house of nappers - we get up in the morning and then go - full speed - all day. Our days are packed with biking, pools, beaches, friends, books, libraries, playgrounds, walks...I am often amazed when I look at my watch and realize how much we have managed to pack in in just a couple hours.

At the end of the day, when the kids have gone to sleep, when the house has been picked up, when I finally have time to go to the bathroom and to breathe, I think about the 300 odd pictures that I need to look through and the milestones and stories and I need to share (and that to-do list that has not been touched). But then, usually, there is a little cry from upstairs, or a pile of laundry to deal with, or something silly on TV that catches my eye (last night we watched Extreme Couponing - someone actually spent over $800 at the grocery store and, using coupons, paid less than $3! And another person quit their job to spend 8 hours a day entering sweepstakes - they earn more than $80,000 a year!).

Somehow with all the craziness of our lives going on Henni turned 9 months. At 9 months she weighed 21 pounds and is 29 inches tall. She has also mastered one word: "Mama." There is also a strong possibility she says both "Daddy" and "Oliver" and she has definitely gotten the sign for "All done" down. The Badger is also on the move. Climbing every set of stairs she can, using anything she can as a walker, pulling herself around everywhere - one piece of furniture to another - and her new skill...standing. Yes, this past week Henni will be sitting and then will just stand up (not pull herself up, but just stand up) and will stand there smiling for a minute or two. She is very proud of this new skill (well, we are proud of her too).

Henni remains a champion eater. Amazingly, the little one has, twice now, passed out while eating (recall that honey badger video we posted previously).
Oliver and Henni have been starting to play together which is fun to watch and is also shocking - where has the time gone?! It still seems like yesterday that Oliver came to the hospital to meet Henni.