10 months (quite a month): teething, sick, sick, teething.

I feel like Spencer was sick his entire 10th month of life.  First he had a cold.  He was teething so I thought it was just a runny nose from that, but it lasted two weeks and ended with green/yellow mucous... so yup he was sick.  Then he really got sick, with croup.  So sad!  Then once that was over, he had about one day of normalcy then a high fever ensued.  It got up to 102.7 :( The only nice thing about him being sick was the snuggles we got!  They were so precious.  Then once he was better the teething recommenced. Crazy month.  Spencer and I went to the pediatrician's 3 times in 8 days...  haha!  First was for coup, then his 9 month apt (a few weeks late), then for his high fever.  The nurses and I were great buds by the end of the week.  

a good look at the start of the two front teeth

croup porch time with dad

sick snuggles

spencer loves guitar time with dad

it warmed up enough for a run :)

family hike up Steven's Creek

 Some videos of Spencer.  Isn't he so cute?!

Spencer has a bit of a sense of humor.  During his 9 month check-up the nurse was asking some developmental questions and asked if he has started crawling.  I said no, he does this funny stomach roll thing to get around.  I then looked down and to my disbelief saw him crawling on his hands and knees across the table to get the nurse's pen.  I looked at the nurse who just said, "He is definitely crawling."  I assured her he had never done that before.  haha I just felt so funny :)

This month was the ward christmas party.  I was in charge this year and had heard last year was pretty chaotic and that they ran out of food.  I was fairly nervous and did even literally loose sleep over it... until I got a nice group of helping hands.  With everyone's help everything turned out great and the party went so well!  I really enjoyed it :)

Two last things!  First, we got the honda civic back! I couldn't believe it.  I went to pick it up right away. It still had Jack in the Box in it and had probably been in the same spot since the day it was stolen.  And second, Hannah got home from her mission!  We got to see her the day after :)  So special to see her fresh from Chile.  

9 months:

Spencer loves books!  He loves rolling around with books and opening them and touching the pages.  He especially likes books with real picture of people.  Sometimes he will even give kisses to the people in our books, especially if the picture is life size.  

We had visitors!! Allie came with her sister's family too.  It was so good to see her and Spencer loved having little friends around.  

Anytime spencer sits next to another little kid it takes about 2 seconds before he reaches out to touch them.  He like to put his hand on their shoulder or see what toys they are holding etc.  

We also went home to visits Brian's family for a weekend!  It has been so fun to get to stop in at Tree Farm frequently since living in Spokane.  Marsh taught him this little tissue trick and our house has never had so many tissues strewn about since.  (I imagine this is one of those things you miss later in life.)  AND we stumbled across my wedding dress... so naturally I had to try it on!  It is such a beautiful dress, and I loved getting to wear it and feel all excited about being married to such a special man.  I wonder if any of my girls will want to wear it?

We went on a brunch date to Frank's Diner.  It's a diner in an old train car- so cute and so yummy!

Other things from this month include spencer discovering yogurt and spoons, learning to bang pans, and starting to get up on his hands and knees/ hands and feet.  He gets up quite frequently and then as soon as he wants to get somewhere will plop down and roll roll roll wherever he needs.  So funny!

noisy pans

crawling prep

a new face he's been making once in a while

We were missing Grandma and Grandpa Harper so we played with a picture of them.  Spencer had a fun time :)  We are so excited to go home in 4 weeks. 

Spencer's schedule lately is:

-nurse at 5am, back to sleep

-wake up at 7:45, nurse, change, get dressed

-eat food at 9am

-nap 10-11ish

-nurse 11:45/noon (outing)

-play, eat 1:30

-nap 2-3ish

-up and fun time (outing)

-3 or 3:30 nurse

-5:30 eat while mom cooks

-6:15 dad gets home!

-6:45 nurse and bed

*we try to go out during one of the outing times to the library, grocery store, friend's home, playgroup, a walk etc. 

He waves bye and tries to clap his hands when we read this book about hands.  He had his first doughnut (Maple) on accident... well, maybe we let it happen.  He can have smoothies and drink from a straw.  He gets mad when we change his diaper or change his clothes or clean him up after eating.  He loves the bath.  I got to take him to the pool this past week and he loved splashing in the water and even dunking.  This experience revolutionized bath time for a couple days until he forgot about the pool.  I tried the free 2 week trial at the gym and spencer did not like the child care :/  He was crying every time I picked him up (I went 5 times).  I'm still trying to figure out what to do since it's too cold to run with him.  

We sure love our little boy, Spencer.  He seems so much older now that he can share his opinions.  I'm starting to think about weaning him since his 1 year is coming up, and I can tell it will be a hard transition for both of us.  

8 months: kisses, teeth, and a UT trip

Easily my favorite development from this month is KISSES!  Spencer has now even gotten to the point where I can just say "kisses" and he grabs my face for a kiss.  So So Cute!  It took a couple of days for me to feel confident saying he was actually showing affection by kissing and not just coincidentally trying to nurse our cheeks.  

The other major change is his rolling mobility.  He rolls all around the room towards things and does not crawl, but will reach roll and reach roll until he moves forward all by rolling.  Pretty ingenuitous baby.

My favorite picture from this month... I love my boys!

kisses!

music time (and spencer looking at the collage of our family)

We took a trip to UT for Heidi and Eric's wedding.  Spencer and I went early.  We got to see lots of loved ones, including friends and family.  We checked out Becca's classroom, hung out with the Gillespies, and Sarah (my cousin) lots.  We hiked with Max and saw Sarah Nicholls, one of our dear friends from Texas.  And we saw Al (one of Brian's mission companions) and his wife Andra. Then all the Hoyts arrived and the wedding festivities began.  Weddings are so fun! and always make me appreciate my own marriage and my own husband more :)  I love Brian!

I LOVE this pic of Max and Spencer

We enjoyed a nice Timpanooke hike through beautiful fall colors.  

Sarah got our boys cute matching Genuis shirts :)  

Oh yes!  Teeth!  That is another change.  He got his two bottom teeth, and they are sharp!  I picked up a toothbrush for him and the first time I gave it to him he wouldn't let go of it for over an hour.  He just rolled around the whole room holding tight onto his new toothbrush.  In this first pic you can see how he doesn't crawl, but finds other strange methods of propelling himself :)

Our friends!  We love when they come to play.  And the little girl loves "baby" spencer.
And visa versa.

Brian's first campout with the 11 year old scouts.  He took them on his one day off in a three week stretch!  crazy.. yes!

I have become more ... bold, bossy, unabashed.... I'm not sure what the word is, but it's a new part of my mother role.  Here's a couple examples from this month where I found myself doing things that I would not normally do.

First, Spencer and I went to church at our Stake Center for one of the Saturday sessions of General Conference while Brian was at work.  After about an hour Spencer was bored and I wasn't sure how much longer we would last.  I had noticed that he was pretty intrigued by this family with 5 kids that was sitting in the back row.  Sooo I picked up our things and moved back to sit with them.  Two of the girls played with Spencer touching his hands, giving him little toys to hold and just looking at him.  He was in heaven and therefore so was I.  I'm pretty socially comfortable, but I am not sure I have ever moved half way through a church meeting to sit next to people I have never seen in my life. 

Second,  we were coming back from UT and landed at midnight.  Brian had parked the car and we were waiting with all of our luggage and BOB stroller containing Spencer for the shuttle to arrive.  We were waiting with 30+ people also anxious to get home.  I looked around and got a little nervous when I realized everyone was all crowding to one area that we had avoided due to our large convoy of items and the noise of the crowd; but a lot more people had come since we got there and joined the crowd sort of cutting us.  Then the shuttle came, but practically full!  Thankfully it stopped close to us and we jumped right in line after two other people got on.  I got on and took a quick survey of the bus... it was packed with only two seats in the very back.  I asked the driver if there was standing room thinking we could just hang out in front with all our stuff.  He said no.  Then I asked if we could just bring the stroller on without breaking it down, he said he didn't see how that would fit.  Then I decided I would have to take charge of our situation.  I asked the two people sitting closest to the front if they could move to the back.  They did and we got on and put out stroller right infront of us un-broken down.  Woohoo!  I was so thankful people were willing to cooperate, but mostly a little surprised by my abrupt outspokenness.  

Kind of fun to see this emerging mother skill set appear.  I think I'm starting to see the power of a mother's love work in me.