40 Weeks in, 40 Weeks out

(9 months old... I love hats!)

I can't believe it but Nora has now spent the same amount of time on the outside world as she was on the inside growing. So much happens in the first 9 months as she grows from a tiny tiny embryo to a 6.5lb newborn and now, 9 months later she's my little sweetheart who's just taking in so much and becoming more and more her own person (and is probably weighing in around 17.5 lbs now!)

(Nora at about 20 weeks in womb)

(Reason why babies don't take 18 months, thank goodness! Look how much she's grown!)

Ironically, it was also today that she took her first 'crawling' steps! Unbelievable but true. We actually managed to get it on video - Trav was just taping to get her playing but she was quite determined to crawl toward the crinkly wipes packet and we couldn't believe our eyes. Our life with a stationary baby has ended... time to really keep an eye on her :)

Other updates for her ninth month:

• Able to pick up small pieces of food and put them in her mouth... she seems much more coordinated with her left hand than her right... hmmm maybe a lefty like her mom?
  
• More sounds coming out of her - definitely some harder consonants like the ba, la, ma, da (but no 'da da' yet... we hear some version of 'maamaa' but mainly when she's crying)
• Still loves reading the books but very interested in turning the pages (and no longer eats the books) but enjoys using left hand to turn over the right page and then the right hand to turn the left page back over
• Turning on and off the lights and yet again, with a system using left hand to lift up switch and right hand to turn it down... interesting
• Might be on the verge of learning to wave hello & goodbye - it seems a bit more frequent these days but not sure if it's just a fluke
• Loves having her teeth brushed (still only two at the bottom), must be the watermelon flavour!
• Still a fine fine layer of hair on her head. Thanks to Jeff & Sarah for the cute little hat that she's wearing above!
  

Well, we're off to the island to enjoy the last few days of the year. Hope everyone has a good rest of 2008 and can't wait to see what '09 will bring to us.