Nixon - Ten Months

Our little man has reached double digits, and we are just two short months away from having a one-year-old.  Unbelievable.

He continues to be an active and curious little monkey.  Nothing is safe from his curiosity!  While it would sometimes be nice for him to sit still for five minutes, we love watching him explore and learn.  He's figured out that doors open and close, and will swing them back and forth for a few minutes before inevitably locking himself in and requiring one of us to come rescue him.  He loves opening cabinets and seeing what's inside (and usually pulling all of it out).  He's getting more brave about letting go with one hand while he's standing, and I don't think it will be too long before he's standing on his own.

This month has also brought the appearance of teeth!  After waiting so long for them, he cut four in rapid succession and is working on five and six now.  He's definitely been feeling the effects of actual teething, but it's only slightly dampened his mood.

Nixon's favorite things to do this month:

• Climbing the stairs - we only let him on the stairs when one of us is right there to catch him, but he loves climbing all the way to the top
• Pulling off his socks every chance he gets
• Climbing through and over obstacles - the tighter the squeeze, the better.
• Opening drawers and cabinets and pulling things out
• Eating clementines 
• Escaping while we try to get him ready for bed
• Walking - he still has to hold on to something for balance, but he loves practicing.

Asheville

Asheville, you're our new favorite destination.  We loved your quaint downtown, delicious food, and beautiful scenery.

Our weekend consisted of driving the Blue Ridge Parkway, short hikes, exploring downtown (although we have no pictures to show for it), and, for a certain tiny person, cutting four teeth.  Thankfully, his mood was only slightly dampened and he enjoyed being out in nature as much as Donovan and I.

Our little adventurer

"Guys, my socks don't match my outfit.  This is so embarrassing."

His was as thrilled with snow as he was with the ocean

Linville Falls

Looking out over the Linville Gorge

Nixon - Nine Months

Nine months!  Our little monkey keeps growing up way too fast, but we're having so much fun in each new stage.  This boy is busy.  He's crawling everywhere, pulling up on everything, and grabbing everything he can get his hands on.  Needless to say, he's a handful these days.

We got his official stats at his well-baby check-up.  He's up to 21 lb, 5 oz. (64th percentile) and 28.5 inches (60th percentile).  His head however, just won't stop growing.  We were curious to see if it would be off the charts this time, but it squeaked by at 99 percentile.  Clearly, we have a genius on our hands.

I'm planning a post specifically talking about food and eating, but I will say that Nixon is loving solids.  We're done with purees for the most part, and his lack of teeth doesn't slow him down too much, though obviously we stick to soft/mushy foods that he can easily chew.

Nixon's thoughts on life as a nine-month-old:

• Diaper changes must be escaped from at all costs
• Baths are super fun but being dried off is the worst form of torture imaginable
• Mommy's cool and all, but Dad coming home from work is the best part of the day
• The world is my jungle gym
• I really hope Mommy and Daddy stop calling me Boo Boo McNixon before high school
• If Mom and Dad make me sit in my carseat for more than twenty minutes one more time, I'm going to scream.  Oh wait, I already do that.

Things Nixon has been loving this month:

• Bananas and broccoli
• The park - it's finally cool enough to be outside during the day, so we've discovered the joy that is swinging
• Blowing raspberries on any surface, including but not limited to: your face, windows, the fridge, and the floor.

Outer Banks {Part Two}

Days three and four of our Outer Banks vacation included the Wright Brother's Memorial, Bodie Island lighthouse, and one last trip to the beach with a non-snoozing Nixon.

Hanging out with Wilbur and Orville

Where the plane launched

The memorial, on top of Kill Devil Hill

Helping with the first flight

Bodie Island lighthouse - we were going to climb it, but Nixon was in the middle of a rare 2+ hour nap

Skeptically sizing up the ocean

The cold water was a bit of a shock

We tested out the sand away from the scary waves - still skeptical, but a little happier

Outer Banks {Part One}

We took advantage of the long Columbus Day weekend and spent some time exploring the Outer Banks.  It was a wonderful few days of delving into the history and soaking up the last of the warm days.  Days one and two consisted of walking around the town of Manteo, visiting the Lost Colony museum, and the beach (which Nixon slept through).

Checking out one of the boardwalks

Sneaking veggies off Daddy's plate at dinner

Roanoke Marshes Lighthouse

Starting our day with coffee.  Nixon is after the muffin.

Starting our tour of the Lost Colony - clearly, the history is thrilling to Nixon

Nixon demonstrating how the local Indians used fishing weirs to trap fish

Nixon the pirate

Nixon's first time at the beach, and he's snoozing

"Fine, I'll wake up for just a second"

Nixon: Eight Months

This month has been a big one for Nixon in terms of achievements.  Most notably, he's on the move!   Once he got the hang of crawling, he's become unstoppable.  As soon as I set him on the floor, he's off to explore whatever catches his eye first.  He's also mastered maneuvering into a sitting position on his own.  He still loves standing, and while he can't balance on his own yet, he's pulling up on anything he can reach.  This kid is going to be walking before we know it!

We're still struggling a little with sleep, but we're slowly finding a nap routine that works.  Hopefully consistent nighttime sleep will follow.  There are no issues whatsoever with eating, however.  This boy loves his food!  No teeth yet, so chewing is still a little tricky, but he manages.  He has no time for purees anymore, feeding himself is the only way to go!

Nixon's faves this month:

• Peek-a-boo - but just using your hands doesn't cut it, at the least you have to hide behind the couch.
• Crawling - or at least being able to get places on his own.
• Broccoli - probably his all-time favorite food currently.  I hope it lasts.

Trying on winter clothes to see if anything still fits.  Obviously, he was thrilled.

Taking a break from crawling to do some baby yoga.  He's a pro at downward dog.