Will: 9 months

I'm late posting this b/c I was having trouble downloading pictures off of the camera I used to take them.  So the pictures are accurate....but the post is late.  ;)
9 months old!  I can hardly stand it!  The only compensation is that he is getting to be SO much fun!!!  He is cruising all around the house.   He will even scale the walls!!!  This boy wants to walk.  Unfortunately he only has a pink stroller walker to practice w/....hopefully he won't be warped. At least he's pushing around his ball and not a baby....right?!  ;)

 And speaking of his ball.  Oh my!  This is his favorite toy!  He is very serious about it too.  He will totally start to cry if you take it away....AT NINE MONTHS OLD!!!  Sheesh!  He will throw it and chase it down.  Throw it and chase it down.  This goes on for long periods of time. 

He has a mouth full of teeth!  Well on the right side anyway.  He has 6 teeth.  I guess that's not really a mouth full, but it's more than any of my others had at this point.  You'd think that with all those teeth he'd be a bid eater.  Not so.  Still not eating much.  A little here and there.  I did some research on sensory issues (thanks Jess) and think he may have some oral confusion.  We've been working with him and have see some improvement.  He is swallowing better and less gagging.  He likes avocado....and toast and crackers.  Hard, crunchy stuff?  Anyway, we're still working on it.

He is SUPER observant!  We were at Suzannah's basketball game the other day.  The gym was full of people.  He was sitting quietly on my lap and looking around.  All of a sudden he started getting all excited.  My mom had come in and was sitting in the last seat on the row behind us.  He saw her and recognised her!  

 notice he isn't looking at me!  he wants his ball!  ;)

He's got a great sense of humor!  He likes to be silly and appreciates it when others act silly for him.  :)  Very fun.  He loves being with his brother and sisters.  Especially if they are in the playroom!  He thinks that is the place to be!!!  He has a few nicknames that I wanted to document on here:
Charley Kate: baby boy/baby Will
Jack: Willis
Molly Beth: Weeee-ul
Suzannah: buddy
Billy:  Wilbur
Me:  sweet boy

He's wuzzerful!  And we continue to thank God for him every day!!!  :)  OH, I ALMOST FORGOT!!!!! He's saying "mamma" and "dadda."

My Mother-in-Law

I have been wanting to do a little post about my mother in law for a long time now, but just haven't gotten to it.  When she comes to visit I take a picture with her and the kids under the gazeebo and this is the one we took this visit.

Vail is the kind of mother in law any wife would hope to get when she gets married.  I have heard horror stories about mothers in law and anyone that has seen Everybody Loves Raymond would think twice about marrying!!!  But I have to say how thankful I am for Vail.  I know that no one is good enough for your kids.  And Billy's mom loves him with all her heart.  And I am FAR from perfect.  Even I know that I'm not good enough for Billy, but his mother has NEVER made me feel that way.  She isn't critical!  When she comes to visit I don't have to worry about her walking through the house and seeing the cobwebs and looking for messes so that she can point out my shortcomings.  She has never criticized my parenting and I KNOW I have a long way to go in that department.  She is such an example of grace.  She has never made Billy feel like he has to choose her or me.  She has never made me feel ex centric for homeschooling even though she was a public school teacher.  I am just so grateful for her.  I hope that I can be as good of a mother in law as she is.  I can imagine that it isn't easy.  Watching your baby love another woman besides you....and then seeing her be impatient with him or treat him any number of ways that you don't feel like he deserves.  To be unsure of how much you should say or do in regards to the children.  To wonder if your daughter in law appreciates you.  Well, I know that my day is coming.  The day my boys will love another woman and move away from me.  I will have to share them and my grandchildren.  I will have to have self control....and grace.  I am SO thankful for the example she has been to me.  I love you Vail.  And I appreciate you so much!!!

Zoo

While Billy's mom was visiting over New Years we decided to go to the zoo.  The last time we were at the zoo Molly Beth was 3 weeks old.  It was time!!!!  Unfortunately it was chilly....and windy.  We still had a good time and the kids are ready to go back!  :)

Our Happy New Year's

We had a fun New Year's celebration.  Billy's mom was in town which made it extra special.  We started it off right by having black eyed peas and corn bread at my folks house!  It. was. so. good.  Then we played In a Pickle.  The verdict is still out on if we'll play it ever again!  HA!  I think the rules were a little too vague for our liking, but it made for some good laughs.  :)

Billy, his mom and Suzannah headed to pick up fireworks and I took everyone else home to get them ready for bed.  When it got dark we bundled up and went outside of the show ;)

Our children are afraid of sparklers...I know!  ?!?  So he got some of these incredibly long ones!!!  It helped a little.

Billy set up some seating for the spectators and started setting everything up

while the kids ate pop rocks.

Have I ever mentioned how much I love this man?! He is so fun!!!  :)

Ooooooooo!

Aaaaaaaaa!

Then we came back in to warm up and toast and kiss to the new year!  :)

 

I forgot to mention that Cakes fell asleep in the car and missed out on all the fun :(  Oh well, next year maybe she'll be able to stay awake!