In Nine Months

Our family adventure. First there was Europe, then there was Rosemary, then Anthea. Now we are home.

Want the full story?

About Me

See belly pictures from my first pregnancy and belly pictures from my second pregnancy

Read Rosemary's birth story and Anthea's birth story

See Rosemary by week and by month. See Anthea by week and by month.

Got a question? Ask. Or, contact me via email.

**All photographs and words © in9months.com unless otherwise stated, and may not be used without permission**

Posts tagged rosemary by month

Jan
31st

Thu

Last week, Rosemary turned 30 months old. My baby is 2.5.

The past six months have been really fun. Rosemary talks so much now, and it’s always so awesome to hear what comes out of her mouth. Everything is magical to her, and she makes such brilliant and funny connections. It’s a wonder this blog doesn’t turn into a constant stream of “what Rosemary says,” because it sure is tempting.

She is empathetic and loving, and very eager to please. She’s very independent. Going to the potty, putting her shoes away, climbing in the car, etc. she wants to do things herself. She also has a crazy-fun imagination. She makes spiderwebs out of string, pretends she’s a crime-fighting chipmunk, and acts out all kinds of shenanigans.

Gregarious and very physically nimble is one way to describe her at this age. She’s a total gymnast at all times. She is constantly moving. Running, jumping, climbing, etc. She makes bridges out of sofa cushions, somersaults onto the beanbag, rides her Rody horse down the stairs, and that’s in the first 10 minutes after she wakes up. She hasn’t met a slide she won’t go down, or playground equipment she won’t attempt. I’ve often had people ask me how old she is, in shock at the physical capabilities of someone so small and mighty.

Her favorite things to do are have tea parties. In the bath, she makes “cups of hot cocoa” out of bath water. She loves her toy kitchen and tea set and is constantly making little meals and drinks for her toys (and her baby sister!) She also likes her Rody horse, Mrs. Potato Head, Little People Disney princess castle, and her bike. And of course, making forts. She also loves being outside. Going for walks and running and just getting dirty in puddles.

She loves watching Disney movies—Toy Story, Cinderella, Aladdin, and Beauty and the Beast are her favorites. She also really likes Curious George, Pingu, Dora the Explorer, and Chip and Dale Rescue Rangers. She can work a Netflix remote like you would not believe.

She’s still talking about Disneyland, and she’s always talking about her all grandparents. Asking where they are and when we’ll see so and so and get a cupcake and such. She also loves to mess with her dad and looks forward to the moment he walks into the door each day after work.

She’s a very good big sister. Always bringing Anthea the bunny lovey that Anthea loves. Sharing her food and drinks, her toys (a little less eagerly, but meh), and involving little A in her games. She will bring me diapers and the baby’s clothes. They like to push each other around in the Cozy Coupe, taking turns and giggling and scaring the bejeezus out of me.

She likes mexican food and breakfast food. And is always game for juice or chocolate milk. She’s certainly become a better eater. She might not eat huge amounts, but she’ll usually try anything.

This age is so precious and fun. I’m blown away by her amazing personality on a daily basis. It’s hard to believe that my baby does the things she does. How she’s grown and changed is just mind-boggling.

I’m so excited for the next phase—for a summer of outdoor adventures, for more magic and imagination. As always, we love our extraordinary Rosemary Agnes.

— 5 notes ()

Oct
25th

Thu

Dear Rosemary,

Today, you are 27 months old. Or, two and one-quarter. You are strong-willed, energetic, curious, sensitive, independent, fearless and smart.

You carry around Elmo and Snuggler most places, but lately, I can convince you to leave them in the car when we go inside somewhere. You buckle them carefully into your car seat.

The things you say are amazing. The other day, you said, “We went to the park and played and then we went to the library and got lots of books.” What!? Such a long sentence for such a small girl. You ask for specific things. You make hilarious connections and observations. You’ve told me that my boobs make chocolate milk and the baby loves it.

You love movies. Toy Story, Rio, Beauty and the Beast, and Tangled are probably your favorites right now. It’s hard to introduce new movies to the mix, as, well, you are kind of obsessive with things you like. You love to sing and dance. And wedge the exercise ball into the corner of the sofa, drag the beanbag over, and launch yourself off into it. You can climb any playground equipment, you go down the big curly slides, you ride things down the stairs.

You are doing so well sleeping in your big bed. You eat well—your favorites are probably mac and cheese and, well…donuts, but you will eat all kinds of things. Broccoli, beans and rice, veggie burgers, corn on the cob, pears (which you describe as “so juicy!”), and on and on.

We’ve been reading lots of books about Halloween, and you are very excited about pumpkins. I’m looking forward to seeing you trick-or-treat this year! You also like books about Max and Ruby, Spot, Clifford, Dora, Chicka Chicka Boom Boom and lots of things by Sandra Boynton, Mercer Meyer, and things featuring animals.

You like picking out your own clothes and shoes, helping open doors and do things for the baby, crack eggs for us (you have a funny interest in eggs), cleaning up things, and asking “What’s wrong, mama?” any time I am frustrated. You like talking on toy phones, playing with your stuffed animals, and in your toy kitchen. You are getting so good at drawing…you can do circles and straight lines with ease.

The best part of my day is always when we put you to bed, read stories and do polar bear and butterfly kisses.

I sit here trying to think of things I want to recount, to remember, but you fill our lives with such fullness, it’s impossible to get everything down. You are my whole heart—I love you with the fierceness of a tiger mom, but, you know, way cooler and nicer.

Happy 27 months, my dear. I can tell it’s just getting good.

Love,

Mom

— 3 notes ()

Jul
25th

Wed

Today is Rosemary’s birthday! Two years ago, at 9:32 am, in a busy English hospital, this tiny scrummy baby came into the world. Look at her now. That baby has grown into a little girl. Bubbly, and opinionated, and gymnastic-doing and hug-giving and kind of mullet-having. Just this week, she’s gotten the grasp of saying, “I love you!” And, apart from that first cry two years ago, it has to be one of the best sounds I’ve heard.

She slept in today, and I heard her wake up when I fire truck went by. “Aroooo…Aroooo….Aroooo!” I heard her siren on the monitor. She blew out a candle in her pancakes, and then we took her to the store and let her pick out two balloons. She was bursting with joy as they inflated a big Elmo and a Sesame Street “Happy Birthday” balloon. Every day is an adventure.

How our lives have changed and expanded in these two years, the breadth of our growth and all of the newness, makes my heart beat harder. Life is beautiful and wonderful. She is beautiful and wonderful.

Happy 2nd Birthday, Rosemary Agnes.

— 7 notes ()

Jun
26th

Tue

Our big girl was 23 months old yesterday.

This past month has been so exciting in the ways Rosemary has developed. Her vocabulary and talking continue to expand and amaze me. Out of the blue, she’ll say something new that I didn’t know she was even cognizant of. Like, I asked if she wanted to read a certain book, and she said, “I guess so.” She still says “Uh oh” a lot for a lot of things she can’t vocalize. She’s also started putting together a lot more sentences. Like “Where’d Elmo go?” “Dada come home?” It’s getting so fun.

She’s suddenly started liking all kinds of fruit that she wouldn’t touch before. Raspberries, strawberries, pineapple, and melon are are favorites. She also has been eating a lot of spicy things that I didn’t know she’d like. Such as spanish rice, crushed red pepper on pizza, and salsa.

She sleeps so well now—a two hour nap in the afternoon and 10-12 hours of sleep at night. She takes a bath, we read stories, and then rock her and sing songs for a few minutes. We turn on the moon light in her room, then we lay her down and she talks and plays with Elmo (her favorite) and her other buddies for a bit until it gets quiet. One of the things I think is totally adorable, is that when I go in to check on her later, she has always tucked her blanket perfectly over and around her. I’m so proud of us for sticking with our ways, letting Rosemary lead us, and not ever resorting to cry-it-out.

She has such a little personality now. She loves ladybugs and singing songs. Tea parties are a daily occurrence, and her imagination is really kicking in when she plays. The other day, she “baked” things in her toy kitchen, “washed” the dishes and everything. She sat still and intently watched all of Toy Story with Andrew last weekend. She is so caring to Anthea—always getting her toys and blankets and saying, “MAMA! Baby is crying!” when she hears her in the other room. She knows colors and shapes and animal sounds and body parts. She is also so adventurous and physically capable. She likes to walk on curbs like they are balance beams, go down the biggest slides, climb and hang from things, somersault, and jump off things. Her laugh is huge and lovable.

She is always excited to see her family and friends. She always asks for Ampa (grandpa), which is really funny—my stepdad is her little buddy. She loves to Skype with Andrew’s parents and show off her toys and blow kisses.

Another big change is in her drawing skills. She is suddenly trying to draw specific things, like bugs and cats. Of course, it all looks a big squiggly still.

I am wondering where my baby went. It seems these past few months have gone so quickly. Suddenly we have a little girl who gets more personality every day. I always cannot wait for what’s next.

Two years next month!

— 7 notes ()

May
25th

Fri

Dear Rosemary,

Today you are 22 months old. Such a big girl.

The other day you were mimicking the dance moves in Beyonce’s “All the Single Ladies” video. We’ll have to get you a single black glove. Your most wild tantrum to date occurred in Target. Over having to put back a doll stroller. That night you refused sleep for hours, and I’m convinced you were imagining baby doll strollers rolling away, just out of your grasp. Grandma Jane gave you a bag of large plastic bugs. You preferred the four beetles (which we proceeded to name John, Paul, George and Ringo) and the Praying Mantis. You can say “mantis” perfectly. You can sing the tune to several songs, including “You Are My Sunshine,” and Feist’s “1, 2, 3, 4.” You’ve started coloring with more precision. Bubbles (or at least their general area) are colored blue. Eyes are scribbled brown or green. You can say so many things now. You drop the first letter a lot…”slipper” is “ipper!” or milk is “ilk!” I can usually understand you, and you’re starting to make sentences.

My grandma used to say to me, “I love you to bits and pieces.” I did not know what it meant at the time, like some other things she used to say. How she used to use the word “doofer” as an insult or sing a song that went “Too Ra Loo Ra Loo Ra” (apparently an Irish lullabye).

But now I understand. Because I feel that way about my daughters. I do not just love you. I cherish every single detail about you. Each baby toe and eyelash. The facets of your personalities that make you who you are. I love you wholly. Each bit and piece and to my core.

You are working on your two-year-old molars on the bottom of your gums. We’ve had some horrible sleep-refusing nights. This morning, you woke up at 4 and did not go back to sleep. So I took you downstairs and sat with you while you ate squares of toast and drank juice and watched Sesame Street on Netflix. I was so tired and grumpy, but there are far worse things than being snuggled on the sofa with you. You stayed up until 11am. When after plucking a balloon from a display in the Home Depot and eating a bag of free popcorn, you came home and gathered your plastic bugs. You finally fell asleep in my arms—bugs piled on top of you, with your balloon in hand.

Love,

Mom

— 10 notes ()

Apr
26th

Thu

Yesterday, Rosemary turned 21 months old. This has been a big month for her. And this is her favorite shirt.

First, there’s the talking. She’s really started to pick up new words every day. It’s like a switch was flipped and now she gets it. She has understood us for months and months, but it’s only recently that she’s started using lots of words. She knows a lot of animals, body parts, vehicles and airplanes, commands (“help, please,” “thank you,” etc), all of the Sesame Street and Cat in the Hat characters, people’s names, and is getting quite good at telling us what she wants. She also has started singing. She used to kind of hum along, but now, she’s actually getting the tune right and the words correct. One of her favorite songs to sing is the theme to “Elmo’s World.”

We bought a potty seat for her last week, and she is quite fond of it (it’s got Sesame Street characters on it, go figure). She likes to sit on the toilet, flush, and wash her hands. She understands when she is going, but is more likely to tell us after-the-fact. We’re just keeping it fun. I’m certain she will be very easy to potty train once she really gets it in a couple more months.

Rosemary’s started eating more, but it’s still hit or miss. She loves macaroni and cheese, peas, pasta, pancakes, waffles, crackers/snacky things, popcorn, and juice. She’s branched out a lot in things she will eat and enjoys veggie burgers, bean soup, grated cheese, more exotic fruits (like pineapple and cantaloupe), and even ate some fish sticks. She also drinks her milk well. She hasn’t worn a bib in about six months, and is really good at using utensils, and as long as things are cut-up bite-sized, she needs no help eating. We let her enjoy the occasional treat—ice cream and cupcakes are her favorites. She also is working on her last two molars (top), and she really has a mouth full of chompers. She really likes to have a little Orajel put on them before bed.

Rosie loves being outside. We filled an old plastic swimming pool with sand, and she spends hours digging in and moving sand around from bucket to bucket. She likes to help water plants, dig in the dirt, and move our tomato markers around (we kept them in the pots so we could tell which tomato variety was which…so much for that!) Andrew lets her hold worms and bugs and builds ramps for her to ride down. She is crazy coordinated at the park and can pretty much independently climb and play. I just have to watch she doesn’t try to go on anything too advanced for her (like slide down a fire pole).

She likes helping with Anthea, and is very fond of putting diapers on her own baby doll. She also has quite an entourage of “buddies” that she carries around and carries to bed with her, in addition to her Snuggler. Elmo, Curious George, Cookie Monster, Ernie, the Cat, Muffin and Rudy (from 3rd and Bird), and various other friends. When the weather got a little warmer recently, we stopped using her sleep sack. She has slept in a Grobag every night since she was a tiny baby (but not for naps), so this was a big step! She now sleeps under her dog blanket. She sleeps very well at night—about 10 hours solid, which is awesome. I’m starting to think about transitioning her crib to a toddler bed.

Rosemary is very opinionated. She will walk with her hands clasped behind her back so that you can’t reach for her hand to guide her. She likes to pick her own clothes and books. She makes it known what TV show she wants to watch. And she is easily frustrated when she can’t do something. She isn’t a difficult kiddo, but is known to throw the occasional tantrum. It’s hard being a toddler.

Life is getting so fun with her. Though I love small babies, it’s so much cooler when they start to become little people. I can’t believe we’ll be celebrating her second birthday soon. Before I know it, she’ll be graduating college.

— 1 note ()

Mar
27th

Tue

Over the weekend, my first baby quietly turned 20 months old. She seems so big! I can’t believe how quickly she is changing into a little kiddo.

In the past month or so, her vocabulary and understanding really seems to have exploded. She understands most of what we say and is constantly talking. She says simple sentences, such as “a big poop,” “come on, moon,” “rock, chalk, jayhawk” and “help please!” She also says “no” to most questions, which is so very toddler-ish of her. She is picking up new words almost daily, but it takes her a while to perfect them (“grandma” was a fun one.) She understands concepts like different colors, counting, and the ABCs, but cannot yet articulate much. For instance, every color she sees is “BLUE!” And her alphabet song is just a tune, at this point.

She has gotten all of her canine teeth and is currently working on her two-year-old molars way in the back. I can tell these are bothering her because she is constantly trying to put her fingers back there. And is generally pretty whiney. She also will go get the tube of Orajel from her room and bring it to us, if she wants it on. I hope these and the top ones come in soon, and we shall be done with teething for a while!

Food is still a day-to-day thing. Since she had the flu and her teething issues, the past week has been a struggle to get anything besides juice and crackers in her. But, when she’s healthy, she likes pancakes/waffles/french toast and is a huge fan of mac and cheese still. Green peas and corn are her fave veggies. And the kid never turns down a chocolate milkshake.

Rosemary is a little jealous of Anthea, but is doing great on the whole. Mostly, she doesn’t like it when Grandma Jane comes over and holds the baby. Grandma Jane, is apparently ONLY allowed to play with Rosie and do nothing else at our house.

Sleeping is going a lot better. She is learning to gradually put herself to sleep as we rock her for shorter and shorter periods (but again, teething and sickness have thrown a wrench in this, too).

This month she spent a lot of time playing on her new slide, coloring and stickering (she also did her first painting), building pillow forts, dancing, reading, watching Sesame Street and caring for her stuffed animals (Elmo and Curious George are her best buds). She will wrap her stuffed animals in blankets, feed them, put them in Anthea’s bouncer, etc. She also takes an arsenal of comfort objects to bed with her.

She wants to do everything herself these days. I’ve always known she was an independent little soul, but there’s something amazing about watching her learn to put socks on, or the insistence on brushing her own teeth and recognizing that she actually does it properly with no help at all.

Though it’s somewhat sad to watch her babyhood fade, I am so very excited for her to experience what’s next. I am looking forward to a summer full of playgrounds and outdoors for her to stretch her legs and imagination. The world is waiting.

— 4 notes ()

Jan
26th

Thu

18 months!

Yesterday was Rosemary’s half birthday. I can’t believe my little lady is 18 months old! She’s changed so much, just from looking at pictures from a few months ago, even. It seems every day, there’s a new development or fun trick. I’m not kidding when I say that every day gets more fun and cute. She says “uh oh” and “oops” about a thousand times a day for things that aren’t really accidents. Example: throwing a giant duck at me…”Oops!” Speaking of ducks, she also says a really hilarious combination of “quack” and “duck” in a quacking rhythm when she sees one. She says quite a few words and keeps up a total stream of conversation, but not all of it is comprehensible English.

She is 31.5 inches long (50th percentile) and 20lbs, 5oz (4th percentile). She’s definitely a little bear, but very healthy and energetic. I swear she burns calories constantly just by never holding still. Her favorite foods are macaroni and cheese (still number one), waffles with syrup, juice, hashbrowns, peas, hard-cooked eggs, spaghetti, and ice cream.

Likes: reading, dancing, singing along to the alphabet song, climbing, jumping, WWF-style body slamming on the bed, trying on boots and shoes, watching “3rd and Bird,” going to the playground, petting dogs and cats, helping unload the dishwasher and do laundry, taking baths (which have gotten crazy lately—she thinks the tub is a pool and the edges are diving boards), slides, stickers, puzzles (which she can do all by herself!), looking at pictures, dragging mom and dad places by one finger to get whatever she wants, playing “This little piggy,” kissing, using adult utensils to eat, her “snuggler” and big stuffed dog Elvis.

Dislikes: riding in shopping baskets or strollers, teething, car rides, being told “no,” the bitter realization that it’s bedtime, not being allowed to eat off our plates,

Life is always interesting and a whirlwind of activity. I can’t imagine life without our sweet girl, and I can’t wait to see what’s next.

— 7 notes ()

Dec
19th

Mon

Our girl is big. She jumps and runs. She dips her food in various sauces. She climbs and dances and mimics what we do. She can wash her own hair and tummy and face in the bath. She jockeys her pink horse, Bubblegum, and her lamb, Chops, crazily fast (where is she going?)

And, I think I can say we’ve finished breastfeeding. The view above, the one I’ve had for so long of a sated, content, sleeping baby, is no more. I didn’t know the last time was the last time, but it’s worked out that way. She’s breastfed once in the past five days, I think. Wow. So much of my time has been devoted to holding and rocking and nursing.

The past few months I have savored that time, knowing, instinctively, that it was coming to a close. Worried that without that be-all-end-all trick in my bag (bra?), she’d never calm down and go to sleep. And a few times, it has been really challenging. But it’s definitely been more emotional on me, than it has on her. So much that, admittedly, I’ve cried a few times, struck by the sudden-ness of the way my baby, who always has nursed herself to sleep in my arms, has grown up. Remembering how, on the day I first met her, she wasn’t even coordinated enough to figure it out. Reflecting on the times it felt burdensome that she would never take a bottle and annoyed that I was always the one to get her back to sleep at night. Thinking of all the cities and places we’ve breastfed. And now, feeling guilty that I’m denying her something healthy that she still likes and needs. Would I have continued longer or weaned more slowly if I was not pregnant again? We’ve been blessed that she’s always been incredibly healthy…only a handful of colds and no infections or fevers or anything. Am I going to ruin our track record by stopping? I don’t know. But I have to let go and trust that I have given her a wonderful start to life and done my absolute best. That this is another milestone.

So, I am feeling proud and heartbroken, lucky and bewildered, and amazed at the way it all has worked for us. It’s safe to say I love my little girl more than ever. And even though I am getting a little too big and clumsily pregnant to bend and lay her as smoothly in the crib as I once did and have done thousands of times, I will still rock her and hold her as much as she needs. That’s what this mama’s arms will always be for.

— 7 notes ()

Sep
30th

Fri

My sweet girl quietly turned 14 months old almost a week ago. How she’s grown and changed so much is beyond me. How so much kiddo can be packed into 18.6 pounds is nuts. She’s working on four big teeth right now, so we’ve had some rough nights and experienced a very clingy Rosie during the days.

One of the most frustrating things as of late, is that she understands SO much, but can’t talk much yet. She says: Mama, Dada, Baby, Third, and tries to sing “Twinkle Twinkle Little Star.”

But, she can understand a ton. Just off the top of my head: Book. Drink. TV. Chair. Rock. Shake. Dance. Clap. Sit. Dog. Cat. Cow. Woof. Brush. “Let’s go.” Shoes. Socks. Feet. Toes. Nose. Grandma. Grandpa. Pants. Muffin. “Come here.” Breakfast. Dinner. Hug. Kiss. Book. Bath. Rosie. My favorite is when you say, “Go get your juice!” She will immediately stop what she’s doing and, like a heat-seeking missile, head off to find her drink. There’s probably more. It amazes me how much she comprehends. Kids really are sponges.

She loves being outside, playing with rocks and getting dirty in puddles. Dogs. Dressing herself up in clothes. Watching her show, 3rd and Bird. Dancing like a crazy fool (she recently added spinning to her moves). Climbing everything and anything that’s higher than herself. Music and playing the piano. Juice boxes. Macaroni and cheese. Feeding people. iPhones. Reading (especially “Twinkle Twinkle.” And all sorts of little games and activities that only she understands (like moving rolls of toilet paper from under the sink to the top of the cabinet, or putting toys into the dryer). And she loves to help. Ever had a tot unload your dishwasher or fold clothes or sweep the floor? Yeah, not so helpful, in the end.

We’re beyond crazy about her. It seems like every day that passes, there is something new to love about her.

— 3 notes ()