9 Months

 Lara at 9 months.

Where do we begin? She stands, squats, and cruises. She says "uh-oh" and "yucky" (frequently, with good reason). She even took a step (although Meg was the only witness and was sporting a high temp at the time and was possibly delusional. You should still believe her). 

 

She empties the dishwasher and then climbs onto the door to search for water.

As youngest, she inevitably gets the role of infant in all plays put on by her siblings.

She frequently succumbs to the lure of Henry's food bowl. We respond with distractions nearly as hazardous. 

She adores stuffed animals, babies, and dogs.

We love her and can scarcely remember our quieter (and cleaner) house without her, 9 months ago.

Months 7 and 8

Lara was too busy eating pumpkin on her 7 month birthday to pose, so we're skipping right ahead to month 8.

Cruising along the hallway wall!

5th (!) Christmas Tree Cutting Adventure in Spring Lake

Birthday Celebrations for our Blog's First Contributor

Many Happy Returns (a couple weeks late) to our beloved 6 year old!

Whose birthday wish last year was for this baby sister. Which sister is behaving in a manner unfitting for her age.

Our Three Little Pigs

The Travel Journal of a 6-Month-Old

This month, Lara experienced Camping/Dune-climbing:

Apple-picking:

Spicy-hummus-eating:

Swimming:

. . . and Flying. For an only-child-wannabe, traveling with just Mama was a dream come true. This girl basked in the attention of everyone from airport cashiers to Mediterranean waitresses.

And, for the diehards:

Five Months

This girl is determined to crawl soon!

The big kids were busy this month painting the office for:

 The First Day of School!

Four Months and Five Firsts

First Encounter with a Sunflower

First Diaper Change Entirely Administered by Lysbeth

First Nap in a Playpen, Outside, and Guarded by a Dog

 First Back-to-Front Roll  

 She is now unstoppable and has even combined it with her previously learned skill, front-to-back rolling, to flip across the living room floor.

First Separation from Daddy (and she was already 3 months old and it was only for a week! Life has changed at our house...we're thankful for our time in the Marine Corps, but relieved that deployments/AT are over.)