Hugs!

9 Months

Addison is such a bright light in our lives.  She is such a sweetheart.  We continue to marvel at her constantly: enjoying her sweet snuggles, bright grins, infectious giggles, loud entertaining chatters, and impressive feats of strength.

Addy is such a blessing.

At 9 months:

CLAPPING!

6 teeth (2 on top, 4 on bottom)

cutting a 7th tooth

giggles

dominates all conversation at the dinner table - girl likes to chatter!

takes 5 bottles/ day (30 ounces total)

sleeps 12 hours at night

takes a 3-hour afternoon nap

sometimes takes a 1-hour snooze mid-morning

pulls up to a stand

crawls - fast!
mimics
sticks out her tongue
waving (?)
hugs and chews on stuffed animals

loves to be held

burrows in for snuggles

eating solids

loves sweet potato, butternut squash, carrots, and avocado

hates bananas (she spits them out)
grabs at her food and vocally asks for more (messy!)

can feed herself baby puffs

into everything :)

loves to be in the middle of things

chatters ("da-da," "ma-ma," "hi," "ba-ba")

bobble-head - tilts her head from side-to-side

loves attention

happy to sleep while being held

attached to her paci

wants to go up stairs (we're trying to avoid this - ha!)

uses mama's big pregnant belly as a pillow

bounces
watching "Baby Einsteins"

shifts weight while standing (moves from sofa to coffee table)

Addison enjoys much attention and affection from her 9 adoring siblings.  She is incredibly loved by us all.  

It's hard to believe this sweet one will be a big sister soon :)

9

Little Baker

Hiwot, thoroughly enjoying her Christmas gift Easy Bake Oven, has become our household's resident baker.  Whipping up mini layer cakes, cookies, and truffles (and spending her chore money on baking mixes), she has been treating us all to delicious sweets.  As a gift, Hiwot made special desserts for Hendrick's and Maclaren's birthdays. 

"Mom, I just realized something, only me and you have our own ovens in this house."  - Hiwot

She has also translated this new found skill to "my" oven (the big oven):  measuring out ingredients, mixing, rolling, baking, and perfecting chocolate chip cookies all by herself - quite impressive for an 8-year-old, and very much appreciated by this mama on bedrest.  We're happy to keep the pantry well-stocked for batches of cookies :)

Belt Test

This past weekend, the boys participated in their first karate belt test.  After working to master the basic skills and techniques of Kenpo Karate for a year, their Sensei deemed them prepared to be tested for advancement to yellow belt. 

The requirements for them to achieve Yellow Belt in Kenpo Karate:  10 Kihons (self-defense techniques), Kata I (a formalized sequence of offensive and defensive movements), Sumo (7 movements), and Kumite (sparring). 

The order of belts in Kenpo Karate:  white, yellow, orange, purple, blue, green, brown (3 degrees), and black.  The belt tests are all similar, but the higher rank belts have significantly more requirements to master.  As karate students advance through orange, purple, blue, and green, they have to demonstrate skill in 100 more self-defense techniques, new katas, and board breaking.   Sensei has been telling the boys that this first belt test is by far the most difficult since everything is so new. 

For the sparring portion of the test, the boys had to utilize all learned skills to battle someone of a higher rank.  The intention is not necessarily to win, but to show strength and perseverance in a trial.  Burke and Kolpin both sparred a blue belt, Davis sparred with a brown belt, and Hendrick and Tesfaye were majorly tested against black belts (they felt very honored). 

The boys were nervous going into this first test - they've been looking forward to it for nearly 2 months - and were (rightfully so) incredibly proud of their accomplishments.  They have learned so much this first year of karate training and, literally, fought through tears, sweat, and pain to achieve these yellow belts. 

They're so excited to go back to the dojo, each sporting a new yellow obi . . . and they're already talking about the next belt test - what great motivation! 

Fourteen kenpo karate students advanced to the next belt level at this recent belt test at the dojo.  Many other students were present to assist in the testing and sparring, and the event was witnessed by a promotion board of local high ranking black belts.    It was an impressive ceremony. 

"We did it!  Great job!  I'm so proud of us!" - Burke

Standing

Addy's pulling to a stand, and getting into everything!
(and, she has SIX teeth!)

Bibbity Bobbity

The latest princess game in our household involves two beautiful little girls and their "magic wands." 

Maclaren and Dabney have been going around saying "Bibbity Bobbity" and turning their amazingly accommodating big siblings into things: frogs, babies, and princesses being the favorites. 

"Bibbity bobbity, you're a tog (frog)" - Maclaren
"Bibbity bobbity, you're a hog (frog)" - Dabney

"Bibbity bobbity, you're a princess." - Maclaren
"Bibbity bobbity, me a pin-sess!"  - Dabney

Their big sisters and brothers are such good sports :)

Volcano

The other day, Davis pulled out a book from the shelf and went to work: "Totally Irresponsible Science."  He did simple experiments inside - building up static on a knife, causing salt to rise and stick and leaving pepper on the plate - and then he moved onto volcanoes.  After raiding the recycling bin to find containers, he carefully measured out dish soap, baking soda, and vinegar . . . and excitedly watched the reaction, to the rapt appreciation of siblings. 

He then moved onto his own experimentation - using the same ingredients in different amounts, he managed to launch a smoothie bottle into our neighbors yard. 

We did have one "learning" experience that resulted in a vinegar spill inside before these experiments were moved outside.  Our house smelled strongly of vinegar for an entire day.  And, he emptied our large jug of Apple Cider Vinegar and box of Baking Soda :)

It was a great day of scientific learning!

Clapping and Puffs

Little Miss Addison has become quite the expert eater: enjoying avocado, sweet potato, carrots, and butternut squash (thanks to Gramma for cooking, pureeing, and freezing foods for Addy).  Of the foods she's tried, the only one she hasn't liked is banana - while she gobbles up the veggies and avocado, she consistently spits out banana. 

Addy has also become an expert eating baby puffs - it's quite amazing to watch this little one carefully pick up a single puff at a time, manipulate it in her fingers and place it in her mouth.  It didn't take her very long to figure out and master this trick - yumm.
*Her FIVE (!) teeth come in handy eating puffs. 

Her strength, coordination, and dexterity is impressive - she's also quite the clever little one.  

Using these inherent talents, she has also mastered clapping. 
Being a social bug, she has certainly enjoyed joining the family at the table for meals.  
Addy keeps us entertained :)

Week 30, 31, 32

(Being on bedrest, these pictures allowed me one opportunity each week to go outside.  

Mike took the pictures to limit the amount of time I was on my feet.)

We're doing what we can to keep this baby cooking for as long as possible!

I am fortunate to not "feel" contractions.  Typically I don't "feel" them until I am well into the throes of labor - a blessing and a curse.  With my history of pre-term labor, we are at risk of not recognizing labor until it's too late to stop it.  Over the course of many pregnancies, I have learned to be more sensitive in recognizing tummy tightenings.

We had been chugging along wonderfully with this pregnancy until week 30, only experiencing a few contractions each day (typically noticed in bed each evening).  But then, things seemed to change, and contractions seemed to come a few times each hour.  I was immediately on a strict bedrest.  Our midwife stopped over for a visit, commenting on my highly sensitive uterus which seemed to contract with the slightest touch or movement, and set up a visit for us with our OB to see if I was showing signs of pre-term labor.

Praise God!  While I may be noticing contractions, these are most likely Braxton Hicks, and my body is showing no signs of labor.  The baby is looking super healthy (and is super active!), and my body seems to be in the best place I've ever been at this stage in a pregnancy (at the risk of TMI, cervical length is actually normal :) 


Despite the encouraging report, we are playing it super safe and doing what we can to help this pregnancy continue for many more weeks - our goal is at least 5 more!  The longer baby stays inside, the better.   My mom came down to help for a week, and we've had a nanny in 3x/week.  I'm taking it super easy on the couch and trying to say super relaxed.

To help us achieve our 37+ week goal:
bedrest, weekly progesterone shots, additional progesterone cream, Super Green Mix ,Ningxia Red, lavender oil,  "Carry-On" herbal tincture, water (half gallon+ per day), higher weight gain (I've gained 28 lbs. of my 35-40 lb. goal), extra protein, and lots of supplements/ vitamins (Prenatal, Fish Oil, Iron, Magnesium, Calcium, Lecithin, Vitamin C, B-12)


Thankfully, moving into this 8th month of pregnancy, I have been feeling great and am very glad to be at this stage.   The kids have enjoyed being able to feel baby hiccups, kicks, shifts, and movements - it's quite amazing to see and feel this baby growing.  There is so much love, wonder, and awe felt towards this sweet gift baby.  Pregnancy is truly magical.

Birthday

Our Valentine Birthday:

Church, Tacos (take-home), Valentine SweetHearts,  and Ice Cream Cake :)

Lego set, books (Masterminds, How to Train Your Dragon book 12), PJ pants, jacket, 

Cincinnati Reds Star Wars shirt

House decorated by siblings

. . . and then he stayed up until he finished Harry Potter Prisoner of Azkaban :)

House of Color

Our first week of bedrest, we pulled out the greatest kid gift - given to Maclaren at Christmas - to keep the crew busy.  Many hands helped in making this house an art masterpiece - a project I thought would keep them busy for a few weeks, was finished in 2 days! 
Now, Maclaren and Dabney have the best little hideout for their endless hours of doll play. 

TWELVE

Our eldest is 12-years-old!
Happy Birthday Hendrick!

Our boy with his size 11 shoe has too quickly made the transition from kid to nearly-teenager (and at 5'-4" is looking forward to passing his mama in height).  He is our leader of the pack, keeping his siblings in line (although often with an iron fist and button pushing).  His siblings all look up to him, and not just physically (he does stand a full head taller than everyone else).  He's a student of reptiles and amphibians (he fills notebooks - using his tiny print and favorite pen - with descriptions, study, and facts of critters), collector of coins and baseball cards, and performer of magic tricks.  He is an avid reader of very large books, independent school worker, and patient tutor.  His memory recall is quite impressive - spouting off herpetology facts, remembering intricate details of books he's read (even from quite a while ago), and retaining poetry memorized for recitation.  He is an avid organizer, and will happily organize bookshelves and kitchen cabinets, and spends hours re-organizing his many collections.  He would live outside if he could.  He is sensitive and generous - buying gifts for siblings and friends at Christmas and birthdays.  Gifts are his love language.  When he receives a new book, he starts on it immediately, often staying up all night to finish.  He drinks a lot of milk and makes a mean Poppyseed Chicken Casserole. 

food:  poppyseed chicken casserole

drink:  Dr. Pepper

dessert:  jellybeans

restaurant:  Cheddar's, Abyssinia (Ethiopian), Casa Marina (Mexican)

movie:  Star Wars: The Force Awakens

book:  Maze Runner series

color:  green 

animal:  frog

school subject:  math

hot or cold weather: hot (lots more wildlife)

vacation destination:  Smoky Mountains

outing:  FSM (youth group), Repticon (reptile convention)

sport:  soccer and baseball, and karate

collections:  coins and baseball cards

hobby:  reptiles, baseball cards, and magic tricks

game:  Chess and Risk

inside activity:  legos, computer games, reptile study

outside activity:  animal finding (wading in the lake for turtles, frogs, and fish, turning over rocks for beetles, searching in leaves for snakes), fort building

with brothers:  playing outside - Wiffle Ball, forts

with sisters:  playing along with their games

being the biggest:  I get the most privileges - staying up later, watching movies that the others can't

career aspiration:  herpetologist

future goals:  I want to travel somewhere like Brazil in South America.  There is so much wildlife, it would be a great place to go as a herpetologist.  They're discovering new species like every year.  

what makes me special:  I am always interested in reptiles.

dislikes:  cold showers, alarm clocks, long Language Arts lessons, lasagna, peppers, changing diapers, annoying brothers

We're proud of our boy, our Valentine baby.  It's been neat to watch as his unique interests develop and are pursued.  It will be neat to see where these interests and gifts lead.  God has big plans for this young man.

We are blessed to have him in our lives, our first born son.