my baby girl

in the past couple weeks, i've come to the realization that my baby girl is not really a baby anymore. she's getting...big.


last time i dedicated a blog to piper, she was 6 months old- and today, she's 9 months old! crazy!


truth is, i really love that she's getting bigger. i do love the novelty of small- don't get me wrong. that's why babies are so darn cute to me- miniature things are my favorite. but as piper's personality takes shape, i suddenly have this new infatuation with her. on the verge of obsession, actually. i can't get enough of her big blue eyes, her loud & silly laugh, her big squeezy neck hugs, her cheerful disposition. i'm happy when she wakes up from her naps, and i adore watching her excitement at the sight of her nutty big brother. i could literally smooch her big round chubby cheeks all day long.

for those of you who don't get to see my snuggle bug all the time, here's what piper has been up to since my last post about her:
-she sits up (well, she has for quite a while now). but for the past month or so, she's been rock solid sitter, except if her big brother is lurking sneakily around. then she mysteriously falls over. hmm.
-she feeds herself. fruit, cheerios, vegetables. sometimes she gets all aggressive with her food and her hand lunges out and snatches it up into her fist, like 'ha! i got you!'. she takes food from elias all the time, too. pretty funny.
-actually, she does a lot of lunging. that's her thing right now. she comes at you like a spider monkey. she leaped across eli's bed the other night trying to get alicia, his doll. she'll whap at you if you get in her way, which is what elias is quickly learning.
-she scoots about on her belly. military style. and she can get herself onto her hands and knees and rock. she "crawls" backwards a little, too, and can just about get out of her own way from a sit to a crawl position; she gets her legs all twisted up like a pretzel a lot.
-she can pull herself from a sit to a stand, in her crib at least. saw it the other day. little sneak.
-she loves to clap. clap clap clap. and wave. not a girly miss america wave, though. a hand folds in half, arm jutting straight out. she'll probably be about as dainty as i am. ha.
-she smacks her lips. well, it's her tongue, actually, smacking the roof of her mouth. but it's very loud. and very cute. she likes attention. typical girl.
-she's got herself a nice bottom tooth, and bottom tooth #2 is almost here to keep #1 company.
-she constantly chirps, my little bird. chitter chatter, sing song, she's always got something to say. it's what i call her "constant commentary." elias is always saying "quiet, piper!". and it's for better or worse. if she's mad- you'll know it. piper's got pipes. and one furrowed brow. whoo-ee. she's got a little fiesty italian in her.

here's a closer look at miss expressive:

this picture i LOVE. it's so...her.

this is what i call the "stratton nose flair," typically accompanied by the "stratton serious" face

tip-toes
smiley girl


she's got herself some big bad baby blues

hehe. those cheeks, i tell you!


the last thing that piper is up to, which i adore, is when she jams out when she hears music. this is her rockin out to her glow bug. precious :)