Carter's 9 month well visit

Carter turned 9 months on October 29th and I took him for his well visit on the 28th. His checkup went very well. Here are his stats:

20 pounds 13 ounces (50th percentile)

29.75 inches (90th percentile)

head: 18 inches (50th percentile)

Carter is growing marvelously! He is just a few ounces less than Logan was at 9 months and 1.25 inches shorter. So while he's still tall, it looks as though he will end up a little shorter than Logan.

He is meeting all of the milestones. He crawls so incredibly fast, he stands up on any piece of furniture that he finds, he walks along the furniture and even transfers from the couch to the end table and he mimicks some sounds...oh he is just so busy! He did well while getting poked and prodded from the doctor and did well for the shot. He only cried a little...tough guy! :) We have to go back in a few weeks for the follow up flu shot.

Carter Mimicks

Not sure if I've mentioned here before, but Carter growls! Imagine if you had a scratchy throat and you were trying to scratch it through growl (I cannot be the only one who has done this). One of the first times he did this was at my Godson's confirmation. The pastor was talking...all was quiet and here came this growl - that sounds scary! It had several of us laughing...which you have to conceal in church. :)

We thought maybe it was fluke, but he keeps busting out this growl. Had I known, I really would have made him be a lion, tiger or bear for Halloween! Instead he is a duck, a hand-me-down costume from his cousin because I couldn't think of something quick enough to have my Mom make it.

Anyway, Carter will just be playing along and John will growl at him...and Carter growls back. We've tested this on more than one occassion - mainly because it is funny to hear him growl. :)

I don't remember Logan mimicking this early, so this is exciting - as it is something new earlier.

Also, I swear there have been a few times that Carter has said Mama. Once when I picked him up and another when he was looking at me from his high chair. We'll see though; it could've been fluke, so we'll wait to see if it happens again.

I wonder with the mimicking and possible first word so soon, if it means that he will talk earlier than Logan did. Logan's first word of 'moo' wasn't until 14.5 months. Typically I've heard that the 2nd child talks later than the first because the first child talks for them. However, l don't believe this to be true when they are 15 months apart. Logan is talking, but not enough to talk for Carter or even in full sentences yet.

We'll see...but for now, this phase is super cute!!

Favorite Things...

My absolute favorite thing that Carter is doing right now is - if you put your face close to his, he grabs your face with both hands, pulls your face to his and nuzzles and laughs. Oh, it is the cutest thing!

You know how when they say when you are having a baby that there is the pitter patter of little feet? Well, it is funny, because obviously at first, babies don't pitter patter. But lately I am reminded of this when Logan has his gym shoes on and runs back and forth on our first floor (which is mainly hardwood and tile). He pitter, patters everywhere and it is such a fun sound.

The boys both have big milestones coming up. Carter is going to be 9 months old on Friday the 29th and Logan is going to be 2 the following Friday the 5th. They are both so little, yet so old. :)

Oh, I do love my boys!

Halloween Pictures

The boys had their Halloween Pictures taken today. While Logan whined (yet again) to get into his costume, once bribed with m&m's he was just fine. He said 'cheese' in the cutest cheesy way possible....he roared with claws out and everything....man, the kid rocked the camera and was a cutie.

Carter, my typical smiler, especially at the studios, didn't smile once. He still took cute pictures, because he is a cute kiddo, but they just weren't with his cute smile. We were in such a rush to get out the door because they both napped longer than usual that he didn't have an extremely full lunch. So between that and the costume being big and warm, he just didn't enjoy the photo shoot like normal.

Anyway, here are some of the pictures:

Carter's First Tooth

He did it!!! At a ripe 8.5 months of age, Carter has sprouted his first tooth. It is his bottom right tooth. It was a very exciting moment!! While I will miss the gummy grin, I am excited for some teeth to come in there.

As I called to tell the Grandma's the exciting news...John's mom had more excitement...my SIL Brittany's water broke (35 weeks) and she was going to have her baby...tonight!

What an exciting day! A tooth and a new niece!

The boys' excitement

Logan the last month, but especially this past week is really emphasizing his excitement for things - even things that he has seen a million times over.

He'll 'read' his car book (simply a book with pictures of real cars). He turns the page - GASP, Oh WOW!!! CARS. He then proceeds to point to each car and say OOH, A CAR!! Turns the page.....repeat.

We were driving yesterday and he was very much awake (typically he is either silent, but awake or sleeping) and he was gasping and shouting with excitement at each car, semi truck, garbage truck or motorcycle we saw. It was soo funny.

He is just so cute.

In the meantime, Carter continues to twirl his hands and feet when he is excited. I recently starting zooming food into his mouth and he laughs and closes his eyes in excitement.

Carter is also trying to make sounds 'tata' seems to be a popular one when he is somewhat quiet. Otherwise, he is a noisy kiddo.

Love them both!!!

Pictures

A random assortment of pictures, but it shows a bit of what we've been up to lately.

After several picture sessions, I've learned that as soon as one starts smiling, the other one stops. I hope to figure out a trick sooner or later, but it is still a cute picture nonetheless.


In September we had a couple 90 degree days. We got this cool truck at a garage sale and it is awesome. Carter fits in the 'trunk' of the truck. Logan would put his feet on the dashboard and I spent a while walking them back and forth along the sidewalk. A good time had by all!

Logan put John's sunglasses on the pumpkin. He was very proud of this and had no problem givin me a 'cheese' smile. :) Love it!

At library storytime we usually do a craft. Our craft this past week, was face painting. We read stories about tigers and same some tiger songs... Here Logan was practicing his ROAR! Too cute. He did very well with the face painting - he sat very still while I put it on and he didn't touch it like many other kids were doing. This could be trouble for us at carnivals. ;)

Logan doesn't like things to be messy - especially on him. I didn't see a spot, but he looked at his shoe and said 'wipe'. I gave him a wipe and this is what he proceeded to do. I guess he just wanted to make sure his tennies shined!

At the playgrounds, he is fearless. He has climbed rock walls (on a slant), he climbs tricky stair cases...but this is his latest accomplishment - the rope wall. He climbs up the 4 rungs and then walks sideways holding onto the ropes and changing hands while he wobbles a bit on the ropes. It is very cool...and scary. I am glad he is not afraid of those things, but at the same time, my heart skips a beat during some of his crazy adventures!

Carter's 8 month photo shoot on the front lawn...

And for his next trick....he started pulling himself to a stand about a week before turning 8 months old. Every morning when we go get him, this is what we find.