Texas Bluebonnets

Every Spring bluebonnets bloom across Texas. Overnight the blossoms turn up in every open field, and along the freeway. We finally joined the rest of the state in the annual tradition of taking pictures during the few weeks that the flowers are out. 

Rain was predicted, and it was a busy, busy Saturday afternoon. But I didn't want to miss the opportunity five years in a row, and we'd heard a park in The Woodlands had a field roped off for just that purpose. So while Scott was busy spreading mulch in the front yard, the kids and I combed through whatever clean clothes I could find (Ian is wearing Joseph's clothes, despite Ian's protests) and I quickly fed Helen and asked her not to spit up until we were done.

Saturday night we realized Helen was cutting her first top tooth. That may explain why our usually-content girl looked like this in 90% of the pictures:

 

And actually, if it wasn't one child foiling the picture...

...it was another... 

 

Or a combined Larson effort.

 

It was my first real photo-shoot with my new camera (Merry Christmas to me, love Scott) Unfortunately all the fancy features and settings do nothing to make unruly children cooperate. Neither did my promising the moon to my little models... "If you look at the camera while I count to five I will give you the biggest ice cream cone you have ever seen!" That only worked on Ian, and he was already mostly-cooperating.

I took over 400 pictures, and miracle of miracles, about 10 of them turned out pretty darn good. 

 

 

 

Brothers!

 

 

Helen ate several bluebonnets. And uprooted a dozen more.

When the boys couldn't sit still any longer, they'd run out into an open field and roll and flip and watch the kites high in the sky. Then they'd come back all grass-stained and flush-cheeked and sit for another 3 minutes of photos.

About the third time I'd dragged them back the bluebonnets, the whining and crying crescendoed. Just as I was lowering Helen from my hip to Ian's lap, she spit up all over the camera, the top of Ian's head, and an entire leg of his pants. (Ian: "That's okay, they are Joseph's pants anyway.") So we laughed, did some cartwheels on the grass, and went home. 

Next time I won't bribe with gum - they are chomping away in most of the pictures! And we will definitely bring Scott!

9 Months!

Weight: 20 lbs 9oz, 80%

Height: 28", 70%

Head Circumference: 18", 90% 

This adorable girl is getting older!

 

Everything goes in her mouth. She started crawling last month, and now nothing is safe!

She grabs at and studies everything and now passes objects between her hands. And she's got the pincer-grasp down pat for picking up puffs. Unfortunately she also bats at the spoon when I am feeding her. 

She cut her two bottom teeth in early January, and another one on the bottom right emerged last week. 

Bye-bye gummy smile, Hello pearly-whites!

In February she began really rolling and slithering across the floor. Pretty soon after she began doing a lot of 'downward dog', then getting on her knees and revving forward.

It was fun to watch her quest when she'd spot an item across the room... all that slithering was a lot of work! Then she'd always roll over on her back to enjoy sucking on her quarry. 

Now she crawls in the more typical fashion, but she's still sort of lurchy. And when she gets close to an object she seems to abandon crawling for squirming on the ground for the last several inches. Once she came looking for me in the bathroom, but for the most part she is satisfied with whatever is available in the room she is in. 

 Isn't it funny how once a baby crawls, you don't have to trim their finger and toe nails as often? 

She's got incredibly long, brown eyelashes. And isn't that pair of dimples adorable on her creamy soft skin? 

She continues to be pleasant and content, which the nurses and doctor commented on repeatedly today at her well-check. (Severe double-ear infection and she is happy as a lark and sleeping well?!) And everywhere we go people comment on her bright face and ready smile. Baby Helen is saying Mama and Dada, and yesterday while Scott held her she was gazing as his face and saying "Daddddd! Daddd!', really enunciating the last 'd'. I've noticed that when she is awaiting food in her highchair she always repeats "Nuh, nuh, nuh!" She has held the bottle herself since we switched to formula back in January. She still isn't much of a drinker (averaging about 7 ounces three times a day) and insists on warm bottles. But she loves baby food. People are always impressed with the way she eagerly opens up for each spoonful of peas!

We love our Baby Girl and think it's so fun to get to know her better as she grows.