Nine Months Old

Maya is nine months old.  We just had her well visit yesterday and she weighed 16 pounds 10.5 ounces (25th percentile) and she was 27" tall (25th percentile).

Sister bear is such a joy.  She is so curious about everything, especially things that Kate has or things that Kate does.  Her face lights up when she sees her big sister.  After all, Kate is still her world.

She's eaten more non food things than Kate ever did including: wrapping paper, books, dirt, sand, paint, leaves, grass, and homemade slime to name a few.  I'm pretty sure she scraped a piece of bird poop off of the table outside as well but I can't be for sure.  I guess it is true what they say about second children.

She officially started crawling on March 8th, 2016 and has never turned back.  Girlfriend is mobile and can get wherever she wants to go.  This includes going upstairs which she also loves to do.  She is also standing like a champ still and even makes advanced standing moves, like bending down and picking something up.

She is totally spatially aware which amazes me.  It's incredible to watch her.  If she drops a ball and it rolls under the couch, she bends down and looks under the couch like she's always done it.

She also grasps concepts super fast.  I feel like we show her how to do things one time and she tries it and does it right from then on.  This also amazes me.

She is super smiley and super vocal with screams, grunts, etc.  These sounds get very loud which I'm extremely curious to see if they stay loud or if they mellow out a bit.  It seems as though they get louder when she wants or does not want something.  She definitely knows what she wants/does not want.

She's been pulled, twisted, tackled, and tormented already in her short nine months of being outside of the womb, but I think that's what being a younger sibling is all about.  Then again, she jumped a couple of times while she was in the womb too when Kate dropped a loud play teapot in the empty bath tub.  Perhaps she's been tormented since conception.

She loves her some Mama, but she does not love snuggles.  She likes getting her milk from her milk lady and then pushing her milk lady out the door.  That's code for she likes nursing and then putting herself to sleep.  If I stay in the room to try and cuddle, she just thinks we're going to play and ends up staying up longer.  I already miss my baby snuggles.  Especially because I know they just get fewer and fewer from here on out.

Maya Bear seems to be her official nickname.  It has stuck with all three of her family members and I think even Jack knows it too.  Speaking of, she absolutely LOVES her some puppy dogs.  Small dogs, big dogs, any dogs.  And she loves being outside too.

Maya in an incredible addition to our family.  She is so precious and we are enjoying ever moment we have with her.  Kate adores her just as much as Brian and I do and I think she's even more excited for Maya to get a little bit bigger so they can officially play together.

Seeing the bond grow between these two sisters has been wonderful.  They are going to have some serious fun together.

We love you, Maya Bear!  Happy nine month birthday!

She loves her headband!

And so do I!

Crawling like a champ.

What posture you have, Maya Bear!

Hi, sweet baby!

In addition to watching how fast Maya is crawling, listen for Kate's giggle in the video below:

She sees something she wants...

Yep, she'll probably taste it if I let her too.

Second Half of April: Dandelions, Tree Snow, and Our Budding Florist

We experienced many joyous things this last half of April.  Some were planned but most were not.  The weather seems to have turned for good, though we know not to hold our breath about that.  This is central Ohio after all.

On a beautiful night, Kate, Maya and I enjoyed a wonderful Spring walk.  After we strung a bunch of white string all over our yard, that is.

White stringed.  Is there such a thing?

Kate found a love of blowing dandelions.  I can't blame her.

She also found a love of tree snow...

...which we shook down from one of these crabapple trees
near the library.

Because it's Spring and we've had such amazing weather, we decided to pick up some tulips to brighten up our kitchen.  As soon as we got home, my budding little florist got to work.  She snipped all the tulips to fit into two jars.  I later saw where she put the second jar and I think I felt my heart smile.

She knows what she's doing.

Pulling the leaves off of the tulips.

And snipping them down to size by 1-1.5" little snips.

The tulip stems where everywhere but it was well worth it!

Kate had placed the second little jar in her play kitchen.

I mean.  Seriously.  I just felt my heart smile again...months later.

As a horticulture major from Virginia Tech, seeing this warmed my soul!

In other Second Half of April news, Maya continues to be the cutest but messiest little love and Kate has put together and entire puzzle of the U.S. of A., by herself.

Littlest love!

I was super impressed and proud of my big girl!

Last but not least, I found this little series of photos on my phone that Kate took one day after her gymnastics class.  I know I will totally miss these baby wearing days one day.  For now, I will revel and cherish and soak it all in.  It's already going by way too fast.

Looking for sis!  Snug as a bug!

Sister Bear is the best!

So is Mama!

I never had a baby wearing wrap for Kate, so I didn't have a clue of how amazing they are, but they are just that.  I wrapped Maya during all of Kate's gymnastics classes and put her blanket right were her head would lay.  Most of the time she was able to take a little snooze.

If ever there are any more Hendricks children in this household, they will be wrapped until they can unwrap themselves.  #imeanit

Speaking of wrapping, that wraps up our month of April.  Now on to May!

Welcome to the Jungle...Gym

Brian and I had talked about adding a playset in our backyard at some point.  We have a big enough yard to include one and we know we'd get a ton of use out of it.  So this year we bit the bullet and decided to add one.  We looked around a few different places and brands and decided on a nice, sturdy, two story playset from Costco.  The price was right and so were all the bells and whistles.

On Friday, our playset was delivered and Kate, Maya, and I had the pleasure of watching it being unloaded!

Lots-a-boxes!

Lots-a-finagling!

Lots-a-smiles!

We had some beautiful weather, like, AMAZING, so of course we busted out our bathing suits and our sprinkler.

I feel like this is the quintessential childhood picture.

And I just adore Kate's bathing suit!

After much deliberation on whether or not Brian and Tom should tackle putting the playset together, it was ultimately decided that this project, while definitely within reach of skill set, was not one that either Brian or Tom wanted to be working on all weekend.  So we hired some guys from an outdoor rec business to help us put it together.

With the unseasonably warm weather forecasted for the weekend, it was the perfect time to get started on our newest home addition!

Backyard: BEFORE!

While the guys got started, Kate got ready for soccer:
complete with a dress, a necklace, a bracelet, and
nearly ten sparkly hair clips.

It's like a massive puzzle.

A massive, 3-D puzzle, that is.

Kate was the best helper.

Most adorable too!

She also put her cup of water along side of the rest of the team's.
I thought it was the cutest thing ever.

Maya wants a cup of water too and knows exactly where to get
FOUR of them.

Progress!

Meanwhile, the girls and I played with some beans
and those cute little curled toes absolutely stole my
heart.

Nearly swinging!

At the end of the first day, the team was nearly complete.  Just the
twirly slide and a few nuts and bolts and we were going to be all set.

It took the guys we hired about a day and a half to put this together and they were working hard and non-stop for the entire time.  It was hot outside and Brian and Tom both agreed that their help was one of the best decisions ever!

On Sunday, we had Tom and Mary over for dinner to help us enjoy our brand new playset which was completely put together!

Early birds, ready to get this show on the road!

The twirly slide is a huge hit!

Maya's not so sure just yet...

Were you wondering if Kate is sure?!

Yep.  She is!

Backyard: AFTER!  Complete.

Wait.  NOW it's officially complete.  Kate and Jack running to
the playset is the cutest thing ever.

Welcome to our Jungle!

First Half of April: Officially Spring

The start of April found us on the mend from Maya's first real fever which she came down with at the end of March.  My sweet little baby just wanted to cuddle with me.  And my sweet big baby was so cooperative with me a little less involved with playing than usual.

Poor, sweet, sleepy snuggled baby in my arms.  Get better soon,
my love.

What do you do when you can't have a popsicle to make you feel
better?  Let your big sis have one for you.  #thatswhatsistersarefor

One day after she came down with her fever, Maya
was totally feeling better.

And Kate was all decked out in princess gear!

Since we're officially in Spring, Kate and I decided we'd refresh our dos.  I got a little cut and Kate got a little trim.  It was her second official hair cut and we'll be staying with Chrissy for as long as we can.  No more children's haircut locations when Mrs. Chrissy is the best!

Kate's before - long, beautiful locks.

Kate and Mommy - BEFORE!

So big but still so small.

Ruff Ruff!  Puppy dog ears!

Precious!

Mrs. Chrissy even added sparkles.  #sheisamazing
#thathairthough

Kate and Mommy - AFTER!

Back at the homestead, Kate started gymnastics and absolutely LOVES it!  And Maya is still as cute as a button!

Mrs. Jill and Kate's classmates: Ezra, Lucy, and Joshua.

Attempting the rope swing!

Success!

My little bear.

Maya has had many milestones recently with crawling and tasting lots of new foods.  We've noticed, in the food department, she is most happy when she is feeding herself with food that looks similar to what we have on our plates.  #notafanofpurees  #wecantblameher

She wants what she wants.

I'm not entirely sure why Jackie had a t-shirt on but we put one
on him and he looked ridiculous.

Kate masters the art of multitasking by eating a
popsicle, while meditating on top of a bag of dog
food.
#butwhy  #wellneverknow

This was a momentous night.  Let it be recorded that on the night
of Saturday, April 9th, 2016, Kate officially bathed herself.

There was a very bittersweet moment in the bathing of oneself that night for me.  I was putting Maya to bed after bath.  Our typical night, if Kate is not out of the bath by the time Maya is, then I will put Maya down and then go back in the bathroom and bathe Kate.  On this night, Kate came out of the bathroom, hair sopping wet and wrapped in a towel and said, "I washed myself, Mommy."  I mean, a part of me cried because my little girl is most definitely turning into my big girl.  But a part of me cheered because it was kind of a milestone!  #yougogirl

I'll leave you with a little sisterly love because there's really nothing in the world better than that.

The sisters that scoot together, stay together.

That was our first week of April, as told in August.  #onedayillbecaughtup  #oneday