What's Up, Tayen?

I can't believe my litte boy is going to be 9 months next week!! That means he will be a year old in only 3 short months! People said that they grow up fast and boy were they right. I feel like I just gave birth to him and he's already getting so big!

 

 

Tayen has been sitting up on his own for the last couple months, but is now on the move!! In the last few weeks, Tayen has gotten from one side of the room to the other by rolling and now he is officially on all fours. Dec 9th was the day we witnessed the crawler. I still can't believe he's crawling! Tayen can also stand up with the support of something or someone. He can't pull himself up yet, but I believe that will be the next milestone. Soon enough he'll be walking! He already is a totally different baby, especially because he knows he can get around now. He's more curious, active, more excited. I've got my hands full now!!

 

 

 

Tayen is finally cutting teeth. Not that I ever wished for it ha ha. He is getting his first bottom tooth and he's not too happy about it. He can be pretty grumpy and sad, but for the most part he does pretty good. The last few weeks, Tayen has woken up 2-3 times in the night. I'm used to it now, but man was I addicted to him sleeping through the night ha ha! Even though he's teething, he still manages to be a happy boy, but he still has his moments. Oh and he has been completely without a binky since 7 months. He hates it!

 

It was so weird when I first started giving my little boy actual food. He's not supposed to be that old! I know I've said it a thousand times but it just seems so unreal. It took forever for me to even get pregnant so for him to be almost 9 months kills me! Tayen loves rice cereal and oatmeal. He can eat almost 9 tablespoons in a sitting and it doesn't even need to be mixed with fruit or anything. He loves it the way it is mixed with formula. Oatmeal is his definite favorite though. When it comes to baby food, he also loves pears, sweet potatoes, and chicken noodle. His favorite snack is Gerber Puffs, which he goes through so fast. He loves those things! He has Parents Choice Gentle in between regular meals and also loves sitting in his highchair.

 

 

When it comes to talking as a baby, obviously there's not much. Gibberish is probably the best way to describe it actually. But, here and there Tayen throws out "Da da da" when he's happy, and "Ma ma ma" when he's sad ha ha. Go figure. He makes some pretty cute noises and has the sweetest little laugh. I love making him laugh; it makes me laugh right along with him. Tayen truly is a "wirey" kid as his Grandma O'Connor puts it. He is much more mellow right now though with him cutting teeth. But man he is a wild one ha ha!

 

Tay loves stuffed animals and anything soft. He gets really excited when Mickey Mouse Clubhouse comes on and loves watching Disney Jr. When it comes to toys, Tayen's favorite toy right now is the bucket that my mom gave him during Halloween. Imagine that! He loves to hit it with a measuring cup and roll it around the floor. He loves playing in his exersaucer and crawling everywhere. Tayen likes to take his socks off and suck on them as well as spit...a lot. He loves his stuffed lion, "Larry." He gets a kick out of it's tail. It's got a little fluff on the end and he will play with it and laugh.

 

 

I'm so happy that Tayen loves his family. Even though he's almost 9 months old, he recognizes all of his aunts, uncles, and cousins and loves all of them. He loves his Grandma and Grandpa O'Connor and Grandma and Grandpa Miles. They babysit him a lot, play with him, and spoil his little heart out. He loves them so much and loves when he gets to come over and play. He loves playing and interacting with his cousins. They are all so cute to watch together. I forgot to mention that he also has many nicknames ha ha. His cousin Brycen started calling him "Toe," and oddly enough that nickname stuck ha ha. A lot of my family will call him Toe in addition to Tay (which is the other popular nickname), Monkey, Tator Tot, Tay Tay, and Tiddly Wink ha ha. I'm so thankful for the amazing family members Tayen has in his life. We can't wait for Uncle Adam to Skype Tayen on Christmas! We sure love and miss him!

 

Tayen has been the biggest blessing in our lives and we are the proudest parents in the world. We feel so lucky and blessed to have such a sweet boy and are so excited for this holiday season as a family. Tayen's first Christmas will be a special time and we just found out that Dad doesn't have to work on Christmas Eve!! Yay! We are so excited to spend Christmas all together. We love you sweet Tay!

 

 Happy Holidays!