Happy Nine Months, Sweet Lilly!

Sweet LillyBelle, your personality is really starting to show now!  You have definitely started liking being on your tummy and rolling around to get to things.  We call you the helicopter, because you will spin yourself around to get to where you want to go.  You aren't really showing any interest in crawling yet, though. We can officially say that you are sleeping through the night now (thank you, Jesus!).  We usually start bedtime around 8:00pm, and you'll take a bath with Evelyn (one of your favorites), then get ready for bed, read, pray, nurse, and you are usually asleep by 8:45pm.  You'll sleep until around 6:00am, get up to nurse again, then go back to sleep for a couple of hours.  It feels like heaven after the last several months!  You are eating more solid foods now, and have started to try picking more things up on your own (mostly puffs and crackers).  You don't really like "real" solid foods.  We've tried to feed you bananas and avocados, but you spit them back out.  You got to go to the beach for the first time this month!  You were not a fan of the water (it was still pretty cold!), but you did like sitting on the blanket and watching your sister play.  Fortunately it was not a very windy day, so we didn't have to worry about sand in your face and eyes.  You have started to wave "bye-bye" - usually with a big smile on your face.  You also do this adorable head shake when we tell you, "no-no" - again, with a big smile on your face.  It seems that you have more of your Dad's personality - pretty laid back.  It takes a lot to get you worked up (but boy when you do, you let us have it!).  You are one of the smiley-est babies I have ever known.  You keep us smiling every day!  We love you, so much, sweet girl!