Porter Nine Months

Nine months with Porter-boy. Holy moly, this child is getting more fun by the day.

And time is just zooming past my face with a gust of wind in it's trail...

Nicknames: Porter-P, Portie, Ports, Port-Sport, Porterhouse Steak, Portly Porter, P-man, and Boo Boo. I'll take full credit on the last one.

Special Talents (as seen on video):
-waves 'hi'
-claps
-open mouth kisses
-so ticklish
-shaking head no
-wiggling
-splashing--note that he has graduated from the bumbo in the tub.

Also, OOPS, but I have to show the baby buns again.



No Bumbo!


Frightening!


Loves:
-Porter loves watching TV with his brother


-He loves making his mama smile and is hereby deemed the most handsomest, most beautiful baby boy in all of the land. Those blue eyes, dumbo ears, and new patch of hair? I know I'm biased but, come on:


-Porter loves to sleep. Bedtime is between 7:00-7:30 each night and he sleeps until 7:00-7:30 the next morning. I know, it's freaking phenomenal and I don't take a single second of sleep for granted! Two naps each day, usually around 9:00 for an hour or so, then again around 1:00 for at least two hours. He's still putting himself to sleep after I lay him down awake with his lovey blankets, in a sleep sack, with white noise, and a pitch dark room. Most of the time he snoozes on his tummy but he's all over the crib before he finally settles into his beauty sleep. So glad he has learned that sleep is a glorious, glorious thing.

Perplexed as to why I thought sleep was such a huge deal when he wasn't doing it.


Happy that he is well-rested and so is the rest of the family. Way to go, buddy!


-Porter loves to eat nearly everything in sight. He still chugs his 6oz formula bottles around 7:00, 10:00, 1:00, 4:00 and 7:00 but the big news is that he wants to hold his own bottle most of the time. We had to switch formulas this month because Target's Up&Up blue label (based off Similac Advance) was inexplicably absent from every shelf in Milwaukee for a solid month.  He didn't seem to notice the change to the yellow label (based off Enfamil Premium), which was basically the same ingredients anyway. But this was a surprisingly stressful ordeal for me as we were comparing labels and feeling very trapped, wishing the darn baby would have just nursed longer or that Target didn't fail me! But alas, we found that he is pretty laid back about a change in his formula just as long as we don't mess around and postpone a bottle of his prized drink.



He is also obsessed with pizza, quinoa casserole, enchiladas, snap peas, pretzels, string cheese, bread crusts, bananas, waffles, turkey breast, and blueberries just to name a few. Sometimes he will eat purees but usually he thinks he is way too old for the mushy stuff and wants to feed himself. Therefore, MESSY.




Mmmm, pizza.


Meh, another banana, mom?


Firsts:

-first pink eye, needed antibiotic drops but I'm not entirely sold on the diagnosis in the first place. At least he seems completely better and although CC did get his eye business, the rest of us seem in the clear so far.


-first swings (video included). OMG he loves them so much. I think he will take after his sister here and be fearless on playgrounds.


-first Easter. He was unimpressed with the candy he couldn't eat, the eggs he couldn't dye, and he missed church and the big egg hunt at school. So a lack luster first holiday for our boy, but he still looks cute in bunny ears.


-first time riding like a big kid in a shopping cart. At least I *think* this month brought this milestone, not sure. But he is super proud of himself up there and the triple seater at Target? Game changer. A mammoth, difficult to steer game changer.


-Motor stuff:
This content baby is totally uninterested in getting up on all fours, he doesn't care to scoot anywhere, and he certainly isn't pulling to stand. He'll play on his tummy or happily sit in one place but he's really kind of a lump and less than mobile. He doesn't even barrel roll because once he turns onto his stomach he stays there, not really into being on his back. This really doesn't worry me too much as he kind of reminds me of Truman with his slow-to-move attitude, and I don't think Porter is actually 'delayed' but he's just kind of lazy/content. And since he is our last baby I'm more than happy to keep him stationary for as long as possible!

Introducing him to his brother's train collection. Right now they are mostly just delicious pieces of plastic but maybe we'll have another train guy soon.


Happy to sit and pose for my camera, most of the time. I'll take it while this lasts!


Everything in the mouth. AT ALL TIMES. Also, 'What is that bright orb in the sky, and what is this fresh air business? I like it!'


-Superficial:
We haven't had his nine month appointment yet, but when I took him in a few weeks ago for his eye he weighed 20 lbs 10 oz with clothes on. He's in 12 month clothes and some 12-18s fit, but sometimes I'll still squeeze him into a 9 month outfit so he can show off his belly. Size 4 diapers, size large ears;) He's growing more hair, still has stunning baby blues, and still rocks the two bottom teeth. I swear the four uppers are bugging him and maybe even two more on bottom but who knows.

-Comparing children:

Truman's nine month post--was just starting to sleep through the night, still nursed but wasn't totally obsessed anymore, good eater, thinning out a bit, rolling but not up on all fours or pulling to stand or crawling.

Cecelia's nine month post--worst sleeper by far, great nurser, super mobile compared to her brothers, and thinning out.

All three in overalls. Be still, my heart.

This guy! He is his own person lately and looks less like baby Truman, we think.


He's just perfection and I think my heart could burst multiple times per day.


And speaking of his siblings, they are still nuts over their baby brother. NUTS. Truman regularly tells me he misses Porter when P is at Lori's. Cecelia still considers Porter her own baby doll most days. She built them this 'porch' one morning, then asked me to 'bundle us all up and give Porter his bottle.' I mean...


The three of these kids bring us so much joy and Porter is truly the best book end to our family of five. Another post is in the works regarding my feelings of being done with the baby years, but let it be known that no other baby could possibly compare to Porter's temperament. I'd like five more Porters but I suppose one of him will be enough;)


Because seriously, could we BE any more lucky as parents? These are our children and holy cow, they are awesome (and maddening, but mostly awesome).






Very cool kids.


Back to Porter: at nine months he has definitely entered a supremely FUN stage of babyhood. I can't quite believe he is 75% finished with his first year of life.


He's just the best, guys.


I love you so much, Porter-P. Keep on growing and laughing and know that you are one cherished babe.







Love, mama.