3/4 of a year

I'm having a hard time truly grasping this, but somehow our tiny 6-lb baby girl is now 9 months old!

She turned 9 months this past Sunday, but between both kids being sick (for about a week and a half - yuck!) and the internet not working for several days, I'm just now getting a chance to post about the big girl.

 We haven't gone for her 9-month check up since she's been sick, but I did take her to the doctor last week and found out she's 18.9 lbs!

As you can tell from the picture below, she still adores her big brother. In fact, they are pretty much best buds. Her face lights up when he walks in the room and vice versa.

 

 I definitely think she had a virus, but I also know that some of her runny nose and fussiness from the past 2 weeks has been due to teething. A couple of weeks ago a sweet friend gave Ella this fun teething toy. Apparently, Sophie the Giraffe is the latest craze in teethers. Not only is it rubber all over, but it also squeaks any time you squeeze it. She's a pretty big fan!

She has also begun showing interest in electronic items. The other day I was working on the computer on the floor and left the room for just a couple of seconds. I came back to find this. :)

And just like big brother, Ella loves a cell phone.

Also similar to big brother, she is still not crawling or pulling up. Just this week she's started to show signs of possibly moving towards crawling (scooting around in a circle while sitting up, turning her legs as if she's going to move from a sitting stance to a crawling stance, etc). So, we'll see! Just as with Riley, I'm not rushing her! 

Who says you need to be able to crawl or stand to play with this?!

 The funny thing is Riley did the exact same thing!

 

Note to self: It's not a great idea to do a photo shoot with 2 sick children - even if Ella is turning 9-months! See the red around her eyes? Yeah, she wasn't happy about wearing a dress/bow OR taking pictures!

That's better! 

This girl still LOVES her thumb! I think we may be in trouble one day!

"Okay, mama. This isn't too much fun anymore." (according to Ella) Riley was just chillin'!

 

The crying is getting a little more intense

Is it cruel that I'm still taking pictures at this point?!

Close-up of the crocodile tears...poor girl gets a red nose and red all around her eyes when she gets upset.

And then it was time to attempt the shots of her adorable little bloomers.

Another fit ensued as I was attempting this

Almost got it!

Success!

So it may not have been the happiest of monthly mile-markers, but we all survived and memories were made - good and bad. :) I was writing in my mommy journal this morning, and wrote, "We had no clue our family needed Ella, but God did, and I am so thankful!" This is so true! She is the best surprise that ever happened to us!