Hudson turned 9 months a few weeks ago. 9 month stats:
- Weight: 20 lbs. 6 oz. (40th percentile)
- Height: 28.5 inches (50th percentile)
- Head Circumference: 18.25 inches (75th percentile)
The doctor commented on how big his feet are. I already knew they were big when he outgrew all his 12-18 month socks, and I had to buy him 2T. The kid has ridiculously huge feet--chubby and long.
He's such a happy baby, and was pretty easy-going until a few weeks ago. The boy learned to crawl, and literally two days later he was pulling himself up to things, cruising around the furniture, and whatever else he can get a hand on.
Along with this new-found freedom came a new-found 'tude. Suddenly my super easy-going baby has changed to a very opinionated, very trying-to-be independent little stinker.
He's still so adorable and sweet though.
It took some getting used to him being able to crawl. One day I sat down to play the piano for a few minutes, and within 20 seconds he was at my side.
Our little explorer.
Besides being suddenly mobile, Hudson has some other not-so-great habits forming. Thank goodness he still loves his lovey, because the separation anxiety is in full swing. He has also developed fear. At night I put him to bed in our room because putting the two boys to bed in the same room simultaneously was near impossible. So I put him to bed in our room and then move him to his bed. Lately within a few minutes he pops up and cries like he doesn't know where he is. Little stink. But most nap times I can find him like this.
Hudson loves to play with anything BUT his toys. His new-found loves are (in no particular order): the tupperware lid drawer, the dishwasher, any and all electrical cords (apparently the best chew toys ever), any speck of anything on the floor that may be potentially hazardous to his well-being (like small pieces of leaves, mud, food, dog hair). You'd think don't sweep the floor three times a day (sometimes more!) the way this kid finds things to put in his mouth. When outdoors he has no qualms about tasting/eating dirt, grass, bark mulch, bugs...the sky is the limit with this kid. Maybe we should enter him on Fear Factor! He'd ace the "eating weird things" category.
On that note, our once great eater has also recently become the most picky eater EVER. It first started with his highchair. One day I went to put him in it, and he threw an all-out fit and wriggled and wiggled until I took him out of it. He wanted to sit on a table chair at lunch like me and Cooper. So I dug the chair-top highchair/booster out of the closet, and he was all smiles. Next came the refusal of baby food. At first it was just 3rd foods (anything with texture/mixed foods). So I went back to feeding him 2nd foods (pureed single foods). He was happy for about a week, and then started this thing where the first bite of anything he takes one bite, gags, and acts like he's gonna puke from tasting the worst possible thing in the world. Then scrunches up his nose, purses his lips together, holds his fists hear his face and makes the funnies little sour-puss face. The first time he did it I thought it was because the food was too sweet/tart (it was some kind of fruit). But no. It's become this way with most foods. Then I got the grand idea to switch his formula from Similac (the ONLY one of all the free samples of all the different brands that he will eat), to a much less expensive, but very similar generic brand. ENTER FIVE DAYS OF BABY HELL. He refused to eat a bottle, to nurse, to eat solids, NOTHING! I'd get a little in him here and there, but it was like he was on a food strike. Then if he did eat a bottle of the new formula, he'd throw it up. I mean, THROW UP. One night it was 4 times. After a literal bathtub full of laundry from that night, I knew something had to change. At first I thought he may have a stomach bug because the next day he spiked a fever. But then a day later the fever was gone and he was still refusing to eat. I took him to the doctor, and she couldn't find anything wrong with him. I prayed and prayed about it, and finally had the thought to switch his formula back, and put him back on his reflux medication that he'd been off of for over a month. After 3 days of this, he's nearly back to his old self when eating. At least the last 3 days he hasn't gagged and puked up his entire meals. It did get bad to the point of him losing some weight. So now I gotta keep an eye on him and really track his food intake. So complicated with this one! The doc says if he had that adverse of a reaction to that particular formula, he will likely end up having a milk allergy like Coop. NOOOOO! Hopefully not. Fingers still crossed on that one.
The last bit of Hudson becoming a pick eater is that he wants to feed himself. If I am going to feed him, I have to give him his own spoon and bowl and let him think he's feeding himself, while I slyly slip spoonfuls of food in his mouth. He only gets about 1 out of every 10 things in his mouth from his tray by himself, but he is so happy to try. I just scoop it all off his lap and bib, and put it back on the tray until he's eaten enough.
Yesterday morning he ate pancakes and cut up bits of banana for breakfast, chicken enchilada (mostly softened tortillas) and peas for lunch, and pasta shells with broccoli and chicken bits for dinner. He LOVED it. No new teeth this month, but he's learned to mash/chew. I am not ready for my baby to be this big!!!
The last food-related milestone is that at meals he uses his own sippy. He will hold his own bottles as well. But thankfully he still likes to nurse 3-5 times a day. Two of those are usually in the middle of the night, which needs to STOP. *sigh* One battle at a time. Gotta get his weight back up before I attempt that hurdle. From the length of this part of my post, can you tell that this is a HUGE source of stress for me right now?! Cooper was NEVER this complicated or picky about food. All new territory here.
Look, Ma, no hands!!! Yep--last week Huddy started standing on his own. I watched him do it for the first time as he stood up in the middle of the room. He got about 75% upright, looked around like he was worried and shocked, teetered a little, and then slowly lowered back to the ground. It was the funniest thing. Here we are about 5 days later, and he's a total pro at letting go and standing on his own/ standing up whenever/wherever he wants.
Now he's been trying to climb the stairs. He gets so excited like he's psyching himself up to do it, and then tries, fails, gets serious, giggles, and starts again. He hasn't figured it out yet, but it's only a matter of time, probably days, before he does. Nate thinks he'll be walking before Easter. I was doubtful, but now starting to think he may be right.
Hudson has also become quite the talker, saying da-da-da (which he uses when he's happy/playing), ma-ma-ma (he needs/wants something), na-na-na (hungry), na-nigh (especially this one when he's tired). He also says some other sounds. The other day he was "talking" to me and said something like "gobrickst." I asked him if he knew German, and told him I don't. He just smiled and drooled, pleased that I "understood."
Here's a video of him talking a bit.
Despite all the ups and downs with our little bebe, he's our still our little Hudderbug. Can't believe how fast the time is going. I try to find joyful moments in each day with him, which really isn't hard. He's a great baby, and I love getting to know him a little better every day.
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