9 Months Old in California

So a few weeks ago Kate and I flew to California, and Brett drove out the next day with Deacon and our things. We came because Brett is doing a summer internship with Ernst & Young in San Fransisco. Brett is staying in the bay area with his aunt, while Kate and are staying with his mom in El Dorado Hills, and anxiously awaiting the weekends when he comes back to be with us. Kate did really well on the flights, sleeping through most of them. I say flights because, yes, there were two (we had to transfer). However, by the end of the last flight she was clearly done with the whole experience, and by the time we got into the car to drive from the airport to El Dorado Hills she completely lost it. Overall though, it went about as well as I had hoped.

Since we have been in California Kate turned 9 months old! I can't believe she is so big. She is growing up in so many ways. She just recently got her first two teeth in (her bottom front teeth), and teething didn't seem to be too bad for her. Though she has been mobile for a while, she finally figured out how to army crawl forward, and will crawl on her hands and knees for a few steps if she's very motivated. She can stand up while holding onto furniture, but thinks the funnest part about this is letting go and falling backwards to have me catch her. She also tries to pull up on furniture, and can get onto her knees but not her feet. She can say "Mama" very clearly, as well as "Mom," but still doesn't quite know what they mean. She also seems like she has been trying to say "ball" (she loves balls). She loves to pick up little crumbs and specks from off the floor. She loves to eat, and is quickly mastering the art of finger foods. Favorite finger foods include cheerios, frozen peas, and more recently cheese. She is becoming less shy, and will now let other people in the family hold her, but is sometimes quite the drama queen about it if I am in the room. But I know she likes other people because if I'm not there she is happy as can be, and she is constantly flirting with other people when I am holding her. Everywhere we go people tell me what a happy girl she is, and they are right. She really just has a happy personality, and I am so in love with her.

9 Months!

Getting her California style on

Playing with cousin Marek

Enjoying time with her Daddy after being away from him all week

With Daddy at the Oakland Temple

At Brett & Victoria Candland's wedding reception

We will be in California until about mid-august, and are looking forward to having lots of fun adventures with family and friends!