Miscellaneous

Jacob's favorite thing to do while nursing is look up at me, smack his lips together a few noisy times, and give me a big grin...then he quickly gets back to nursing.

Lily likes to count everything. "Two, two, two, TWO!" Repeat for, "Free, free, FREE!" (or eight or shish).

Jacob - all in one or two weeks - has learned to wave, clap, do "so big!", bop his head up and down to the music, flirt with his head to the side, and wiggle his head back and forth.

Lily can sit at the table for up to an hour, coloring or taking stickers on and off things. Double the time if she has her pacifier.

Jacob had his 9-month pediatrician visit last week. He is in the 5th percentile for weight. Oy. The doctor tried not to act concerned, but I could tell he wasn't super happy. And he also encouraged me to push Jacob to stand and not be so floppy. Little mushy baby.

Lily is such a good big sister. She loves to feed Jacob whatever she's eating, and always makes sure we include him in everything. I guess this goes along with her learning to take turns and share. Hoppy-yop provides good practice.

Jacob's forehead sweats while nursing if he's ready to go to sleep. It's like his "tell" in poker.

Lily's suddenly decided that sleeping through the night is for babies. She wakes up multiple times a night, for no apparent reason, and says anything she can think of to get out of her crib. "Mama? Daddy? Awake? Kirsten? Oma? Seeeee Oma? Milk? Water? Light? LIGHT!"

Jacob is still the happiest little thing I've ever seen in my life. Even his pediatrician commented on how social he is, when most babies are beginning to experience social anxiety.

Lily is at the same time sweet and so stubborn. We are through two and a half months of the cliched "terrible twos," but as maddening as this age can be, at the same time, it's very exciting. Every day is full of new adventures. Her speech is progressing so quickly, and her ability to grasp complex concepts just astounds me.