9 Months Old!

The boys are now 9 months old and changing SO fast I can hardly keep up! They surprise me everyday with new tricks, new babble, and new bruises. People always ask me how I get anything done and my secret is the baby gated room. The boys all play together and also take time to play by themselves and stay entertained for quite some time. I can get plenty done downstairs...upstairs is a different story. Unfortunately this leaves me doing dishes and laundry a lot! Even at 9 months old I know to check on them when it gets too quiet. I have found them all gathered around the swing with the cord pulled down and chewing on it. I have found Drew trying to pull himself up on the pack'n'play knocking down diaper cream or anything else he can get his hands on. The funny thing is that he likes knocking it down and Isaac and Evan like to chew on whatever falls. They have also recently discovered how to flip the activity mats over and play peek-a-boo with each other. I try to leave them alone when they are playing so well together but I can't help it when they are all cracking up at each other. My favorite sound in the world is all 3 boys belly laughing! The boys are all wonderful eaters and haven't met a jar of food they didn't like. Too bad they all hate having their mouths and hands wiped off at the end of the meal. It has become nearly impossible to change their diapers. They are such wiggle worms and are VERY strong now. I have had to begin using the word "NO". Now I need to work on establishing dominance:)

Evan

Evan has become a bulldozer. He sees what he wants and he moves for it in a straight line regardless of who or what is in front of him. Sometimes what he wants is what Isaac or Drew have so he just grabs it. This makes Isaac and Drew mad because he is always taking their binkys and he doesn't even like them while he is playing. Evan is a biter. He just lunges at his brothers and me and digs in. Isaac and Drew always have big wet spots on their backs from their dear brother Evan. Evan is very interested in what is going on around him and loves to check out his surroundings. So much so that I'm surprised he hasn't gotten whiplash from looking around so quickly. Evan is my space cadet and nutty professor.

Isaac

Mr. Ya Ya. Isaac is talking and says ya ya a lot and quite emphatically. He hates wearing bibs at meal time and is constantly trying to (and sometimes successfully) rip it off like a little hulkamaniac (which is cute considering I myself am a former hulkamaniac). Isaac is still a ladies man and loves smiling for strangers who smile at him. Isaac likes to smack his left hand on everything. The floor, the table, me, toys. I have recently put his hand smacking to good use and let him pick out a watermelon at the grocery store. He did a great job! Isaac is a little more reserved at play time than his brothers and will spend more time with each toy. If he loses interests in his toys, Isaac loves to stand at the gate and smile at you. He must know how irresistible he is because the little smile works on me almost every time.

Drew

What do they call them...spirited? Drew Bear has developed an attitude. He knows what he wants and tries to let you know about it. He is stubborn. For example until recently he wouldn't let us move his arms for him to clap or do patty-cake! He is starting to come around finally. Drew is independent and likes spending time digging through his toy box touching every toy. He has also started trying to stand by himself and even take a step or two. Drew is very strong but incredibly delicate when touching things. He loves feeling textures and softly runs his hands over them and also gently reaches for Brewster and Monchi which is quite different from his brothers. Drew is an equal opportunity hair puller. I take the brunt of his hair pulling but daddy's bucket always makes Drew laugh. Needless to say, I am desperately growing out my bangs that just happen to hang in his face when I am changing diapers.