Nine Months of Sully

Leigh Ann
Jun 27, 2019
5 min read

My SCUBA Sully,

I’ve been thinking a lot about the difference between loving so much and loving so well. There isn't always a clear distinction between the two, and really, the end goal is to love in both ways. See, you can love so much but without knowing how to express it well. Or maybe you know that you love something but choose not to take care of it, meaning, you aren't loving it well. It's also possible that you can go the other way and pretend to love well without loving much. What does this have to do with you, my nine month old? Your dad:

I’ve never been so proud to be called Cody's wife as I have been since you've been born. He has loved me well our entire relationship, 11 years and counting, but he has taken it to the next level since you've been born (something that I didn't even know was possible!). He is a prime example of what it means to love much and well. You and I are his very favorite people, and he loves you and me so very, very much. But beyond that, he knows how to show it-defining loving someone well. Cody (a.k.a. Dad) has stepped up, focused not just on what we need, but how we need it. All three of us came into this family life together, learning as we go; your dad, though...a total natural. Making us laugh, cooking us dinner, checking in on our feelings, trading different duties so we can rest, spending intentional time with us: you name it, he's done it!

He has his own business and is in grad school, both of which are time consuming and difficult, but even still, he has rearranged his days, made sacrifices, and showed up every. single. day. Not once in your life will you question if he loves you because he (and I!) will spend every effort necessary to not just tell you, but show you. Buddy, you just don't know how blessed you are, and you won't have the alternative to compare it, to. Trust me, though. You are loved much and well.

Sometimes on our family walks, you don't want to ride in your stroller. Carrying you, it is!

The same applies to our possessions. It's possible to love our toys or cars or whatever, but if we don't love them well by taking care of them, they fall apart. If you're not sure what this looks like, look to Dad. His truck, the camper, our home-it's all taken care of in the most detailed way because he knows that if he loves it much, he has to love it well. Because of that, our things last longer. So going forward: your toys-put them away; your clothes-keep them clean; your pets-meet their needs. Loving well takes effort, but it is a family value!

Your dad is a man of integrity, one I'm beyond proud of! He loves us in the best of ways!

One Second Everyday

Size:

At the pediatrician last week, you weighed 19 pounds 5 ounces. We don't know your length or percentiles since it wasn't a wellness visit, but that appointment is soon! Nine month clothing is almost too small, so you are in between nine months and twelve months depending on the brand.

Food:

Baby Led Weaning is going better than ever! We have a cute little chart in the pantry with all of the foods you've tried, and you are at 48! We had plans for many more last week, but you are officially allergic to egg, so we are holding off on new foods until we meet with the allergist. I can really tell now that meal time is clicking, and it's beyond just an activity. You LOVE to eat and are good at gripping and pinching. Your favorites this month are broccoli, potatoes, breakfast sausage, and blueberries.

You've learned the sign for "more" which is really helpful, but my new best part of a meal is watching you close your hands for our blessing. Buddy, if we do nothing else, we want to teach you to pray, to be thankful for all of your blessings, to talk to God throughout your day. Mom's still pumping 5-6 times a day, depending on what is going on. You haven't dropped a feeding yet, but they are definitely more spread out, so I can see you getting to the weaning process.

New Tricks:

Dude! You have to slow down! In two weeks, you cut a tooth, said the word "more" as well as learning the sign for it, learned how to put your hands together for the blessing, rolled over from belly to back, and somehow sprouted a billion new hairs. You also have this new face that shows how curious you really are, and it's my favorite! My heart hurts thinking about how fast it's all going!

This is your curious face!

I accidentally got a video of you rolling over for the first time. It was fun to see you be excited!

Sleep:

Ever since you visited the ER with an egg allergy, your sleep has been interesting. You were sleep trained before, but now, we are having to wake you up! You've been sleeping 13 hours with naps lasting from two to two and a half hours. I think part of it is that you are sleeping on your side, and if you're like me, it's the coziest deep sleep that way. Plus, you love to snuggle your new friend "Blue" that we bought specifically for helping you transition out of the sleep sack.

One of the highlights of my days is rocking you during your second nap, but in just the last week, you've been fussy while we rock and prefer to go in your crib. I'm a little sad, but it will make those snuggly naps even more special. You sort of dropped your third nap on your own without much training; our days are simpler because your wake times have stretched.

Favorite Moments:

-You've really started to follow along with books, and I am here for it! They excite you, and you've learned to turn the pages. My heart!

-We've been experimenting more with non-toy play items; we are becoming semi-minimalist, and we realize that "stuff" doesn't make us happy. Because of that, we've been turning Pringles cans, boxes, and ribbons into play. You love it!

-Father's Day was quite eventful, with a trip to the ER for you, but aside from that, it was a blast celebrating your dad! He's easy to throw a celebration for! We had his favorite foods, going to eat sushi, Chinese, appetizer platters, and brunch. He picked his favorite movies, played his PlayStation, and we spent quality time together. It was just a sweet and special weekend!

-This month with you and Dad has been dreamy. You are easy to play with, your personality is shining brighter than ever, and we three are in a major groove! My mom kept you while I was at camp, and you babysat her so well! You've really learned to just go with the flow! This life with both of you is more than I ever could have imagined.