Matteo is 9 Months!

9 months in the belly, 9 months out! Can barely remember life without Matteo. And pregnancy seems like eons away.

Matteo is expressing his opinions more now (lots of baby tantrums!) and is quite vocal about his needs.  But he is able to calm himself down pretty quickly.  His mood changes every minute. He's been a bit clingy- always wants either me, Sisi or Joe playing near him.  It's a little hard on me because at this age, Sisi was happy to play on her own for long stretches in her crib or playpen. I was a little spoiled. Matteo is not on board with "alone time" most days! But we're still working on it.  

It's been a month of incredible sleep.  No complaints in the sleep department right now, as little guy has finally resumed sleeping through the night consistently.  Round of applause!

As a mom, it's hard to admit when you need help, but I may have to reach out for some breastmilk donations soon.  Teo is healthy, but verrrry small.  He's not gaining much weight from month to month. His pediatrician was not concerned, but I am a little.  He almost always cries when I'm done nursing him, and I wonder if he's not satisfied.  My instinct is telling me I need to supplement.  I'm trying to boost my supply but not seeing a lot of improvement.   I should totally be ok with this, since I supplemented with Sisi around 9 months too.  It's my pride and perfectionism that is telling me I must do it all myself.  He's my last baby and it's my last chance to prove myself!  But prove what? Mommy guilt is the worst! I'm working on it.

Matteo at a Glance:

• 3 teeth!
• Recently able to chew and swallow some more solid foods, like ground beef, caviar, sardines, salmon, cheese, and melon.  Still spoonfed most meals. Recent favorite purees are steak with asparagus and white sweet potato, beets with pork, and lamb liver with sweet potatoes and cinnamon.   
• Sushi lover!  Devoured uni (raw sea urchin) and salmon eggs.  I think uni is the PERFECT baby food- it's slightly sweet, mushy, creamy, and packed with healthy fats and nutrients.  
• Started scooting on his belly, but not very efficiently.  Sometimes he accidentally scoots backwards and gets mad about it.  Nowhere near crawling yet!
• Sitting up well unsupported.  Still tips over once in a while.
• Drinks water from a straw! I discovered this on accident when I let him play with my iced tea.
• We haven't pushed Sisi to embrace her new brother. We've been patient while she works out her mixed emotions. We are delighted to say that even though they were off to a rocky start, we're seeing evidence of strong bonding.  She has been so tender and helpful lately.  Sisi has started asking to bathe with Matteo, and loves to pet his fuzzy head, brush his hair, and feed him bits of food.  The best part is that it's truly coming from her heart, with no pressure or prompting from us.  Kids are pretty amazing if you give them time to shine.
• My hairy Italian boy- peach fuzz on the face, furry eyebrows, and a slight mustache.  
• Has started bopping up and down to the beat of music with a goofy smile on his face.  Loves when I sing "Winnie the Pooh".
• Totally doesn't mind the carseat now, but not a fan of the stroller.  It's a good thing he's so tiny because it's still doable to wear him a lot.