Nine Months

Miss A weighs a whopping 16# 9 oz. She's finally doubled her birth weight! Still petite and healthy. I don't mind as it saves my arm muscles! She is eating away and starting on some pincer skills for finger foods, namely Cheerios and peas/carrots bits. She has 5 teeth that have cut through.

Her gross motor skills are a bit timid. She can basically walk across a room when you hold on and support. As for moving around the ground for herself, well, she's just starting to scoot backwards. She can pivot and get herself into different positions and directions, but stationary otherwise.

Strangers don't alarm her, but while with the doctor the other day she kept looking to me to make sure all was okay. When Andy comes home and he walks down the hall, she starts looking excitedly in that direction until he appears. She expertly tracks us.

Today, almost a week after turning nine months, she showed her first little dance moves! A couple of seconds of moves upon hearing my singing. I loved it! Bath time continues to be a party with the water a-flying. She knows if I'm trying to hide something from her and the word "No" has taken meaning. I forgot to mention last month but she also has great delight in watching our stacked washer/dryer tumble the contents about.

Last weekend she had daddy time when I had to fly up to Fairbanks for work. When I came back she no longer wanted to be cradled as the last part of her bedtime routine. I don't know what changed and why, but I'm still trying to sneak in a song before laying her down in the crib. She doesn't want to be cradled anymore? What's next independent lady?! A trick I came home to tho was flicking the light switches on and off. Good teaching, daddy!

 The ceremonial end of a photo shoot--when the sticker becomes edible. Happens every time.

The evening of Miss A's nine-month date found us briefly on the boat in sunshine.

It's a funny thing for me to consider that she's alive as long as she was in utero. *Amy

Diaper Me!

One evening last week Miss A became fussy early on so I decided to give her an early bath. Once on her changing table she was fine again. So fine that she played with diapers for half an hour. I called Andy into her room and we sat on the bed and watched her.

She didn't care or become distracted that she had an audience. We soaked in the sounds of her nonstop babble and watched her discover surfaces by running a diaper over her wall and into the crack between the changing table & the wall. The fun ended when every single diaper I had lined out was in a pile on the floor (about 15).

It was some of the most fun yet. Watching her play on her own and do new things was a kick. I wish I could show you more, but here's a bit of "Fun with Diapers."

It's A Bird...No, it's an Eagle

The eagle traffic has been heavy and steady this year. Actually, I think it's just that I'm better at spotting them than from my first year in Sitka. As of late I don't see as many as often, but during the winter, spring and most of summer our national bird flew overhead and around our home and island all the time.

It's a normal day to see several of them playing in the wind passes and currents from the mountain behind our house. They can fly by so close I duck for fear of bird crap. Then there's the dead tree not far off the road whenever we drive toward town. Usually I count 3+ hanging in that tree. I can tell their method of sailing over the harder work the ravens exert to cover the same distance. Their golfball heads pop among the trees while we spend time on the boat.

Sometimes they're not so subtle or natural, but downright obvious, like when a juvenile landed in a convenience store parking lot and just starting walk around. Or when I pulled away from the McDonald's drive-thru (I know, I know!) and saw one also doing a close drive-thru (our McD's has an awfully scenic parking lot view).

When an eagle passes overhead and we're sitting on our porch, I'll point and say to Andy, "bird." He doesn't even look up. I say, "hey, you missed a good one of an eagle!" He said, "then, say it's an eagle, not a bird." Although scientific categorizing says I'm technically right, to Andy--and most of us--the eagle is so much more than just a "bird." Their grace, strength and beauty is so romantic/captivating.

We're amateurs with photos and we certainly don't try to take pictures of eagles, but sometimes the moment comes together for us to document just one of our many encounters.

 Photos by our friend, BV, while playing on our camera aboard the Cajun Queen.

 Golfball heads. One above and at least three in the picture below.

 No eagle eye needed to spot the eagle in the picture, below. 

Just like the look of the moon one evening from our yard in early July. :)

*Amy