Oh, Cecelia

Like I said before, Cecelia is changing SO fast now. Although I don't particularly love to do the monthly update-type of posts, I feel the need to do a tiny update here so I don't forget all that is happening with our girl right now.

-Sister has been so much fun lately. She is giggling all of the time now and has the HUGEST grin I've ever seen. It is like she is somehow getting happier by the day and maybe with those top two teeth out of the way, she just feels better? My cheeks hurt just from thinking about how much she is smiling.

Whenever she sits in her highchair she will do 'So Big!' non-stop until one of us tickles her armpits. Truman taught her this and it never gets old. (And yes, that dark drink would be prune juice. It worked it's magic a day later!)

-Watching Cecelia with her great-grandma is one of the sweetest things ever. I love thinking about how Memaw was once in my shoes as a young mom, caring her for her daughter just like I'm doing now. (Except I'm not really that young, but we'll go with it here). And to see Memaw love on my girl is very special and I realize how blessed I am to have my grandmother around and in SUCH great health. She's a natural with both of my kids and the chaos of our loud home doesn't seem to phase her too much, even though it's so far outside of her norm. I know she remembers these days well and I can see why people have fond memories of the 'little baby' days. Glad that we can share in the chaos with other generations.

Tell me she isn't going to be a total firecracker. We are in trouble!

-Some HUGE motor milestones have been met since my last monthly post. In the past 10 days, she has learned how to CRAWL for real, to push herself into a sitting position from laying down, and she is even pulling to stand all of a sudden. That was fast! I am not kidding when I say that watching my second-born hit these milestones is every bit as exciting as the first time around. Probably because Cecelia is just so darn proud of herself when she learns a new trick. It's hilarious and awesome and I love this part of the first year so much!

Learning to crawl on all 4's like a big girl!


Still with the planks


Pushing into a sitting position, so proud


Next up? Walking. But thankfully not even close, obviously.


-Did I ever show you this hilarious video of CC planking and then screeching? It's classic.

And then there is this one I took of her pulling to stand for the first time. My big girl! You can tell we are both so proud.

-Teeth, oh teeth. She had just sprouted the top left tooth at my last update and now she has the top right and the side left already through. There is another one on the verge, so that would be 4 teeth that have come through in a matter of 2 weeks-ish. No wonder we have sort of been in teething hell lately. Those buggers have to hurt! But man, the sight of her top two nubbin teeth poking out in her smiles is enough to melt me. I have yet to get a good picture of them but think gap, uneven, and HUGE for those two butterbeans.

Also, I am still toying with the idea of a Baltic amber teething necklace, but I'm basically too chicken to actually buy it. Nate is a huge skeptic and I'm sure Lori would be, too, which means I'd have to feel pretty strongly about it if I really wanted to be that crunchy granola. Two weeks ago I was ready to buy 100 of them in the name of getting my happy baby back. But the past few days she has been more content so maybe I can push it off even longer. Any big success stories I must read?

-I posted these pictures on IG but had to post here, too. (are you following me yet? mrsjuliagoolia). My baby at 3 weeks versus 9 months. Still the same child, for sure, but she just looks so grown up to me now. Sigh. I suppose this was bound to happen, huh? ;)


-This is sort of about Cecelia, but also about Nate: a few weeks ago I had to take a course for my PT license on a Thursday. Which meant that Nate was alone with both children for almost 8 hours. This was HUGE because although Nate is an amazing dad who does his share of solo-parenting for a few hours at a time, he hadn't tackled the monumental 'full day' with both kids. Truman was bound to be pretty easy on daddy, but Wild Card Cecelia? You never know how she will handle being away from mommy. I know Nate was nervous and I was, too! But of course, he handled the day like a freaking professional and was even a little bit cocky about it. Like, 'Mister Mom is rocking this thing like it's NBD' type of bragging. I mentioned that if it was so easy I could easily find a way to pass a few more hours before I came back home and he quickly texted back, 'Nice try.' Doh! But seriously, he did great and both kids did, too. Their outfit choices were questionable to say the least but I got a good belly laugh at seeing how he dressed them. Let's just say this: Cecelia has never worn more pink or more polka dots than the day Nate chose her outfit. Amazing!! ;)

That's it for now. I guess 9.5 months is a big time for change with this babe.