Lots To Catch Up On

Jordan is 3 days shy of 10 months old already! She has made huge strides in her mobility (literally!) and independence since the last post. In fact, Jordan is really starting to keep us and the dog on our toes. Her army crawl has evolved from a single-leg scoot to a bipedal one which has doubled its work efficiency and thus the speed at which she gets around the house. It could be my imagination, but it also seems like Jordan is getting closer every day to the more conventional crawling method (hands and knees). However, she most certainly prefers to stand and walk along furniture or using her walker. She is getting pretty daring on two feet, and also gaining a lot of confidence in her balance. She can stand for brief periods unassisted, and likes to try walking along furniture using only one hand. It's really fun to watch her move from her walker to the couch and back again.

One problem that Jordan has with walking is getting from her feet back to the floor. It is a big drop down for a tiny baby, but she cautiously bends at the waist inch-by-inch, then closes her eyes and drops down to her bottom with a thud. However, once she is on the floor, getting back to the standing position is a piece of cake (as long as she has something sturdy to hold onto).

Jordan loves to climb over objects, as I learned while sorting the laundry the other day. She took to the mountain of clothes like a sherpa takes to the Himalayas. She also climbs over her mom and dad, climbs over her toys, and climbs stairs (under careful supervision, of course!).

Another thing Jordan loves is riding in her bike seat. She took her first bike ride with mom this weekend, and while getting the helmet on was a traumatic experience, the tears quickly dried up once she felt the wind on her cheeks. I hope she gets used to wearing her helmet, because I don't want it to be the reason why we refuse to ride bikes. I wanted to get a picture of the tiny rider, but Josh was busy building a fence. I'll try again next time.

It hasn't been all smiles this month though. Jordan is working on getting her top two teeth and it's been a real drag for everyone. She has trouble sleeping through the night and has been extra "salty" (to quote uncle Jeff) during the days. Poor Josh had to take the brunt of her crankiness because she was enrolled in "daddy daycare" for the past two weeks--more on that below--instead of her regular child care. This means that she didn't exactly put on her happy face while grandma Weze and uncle Jeff came to visit. I'll know why if they don't want to return any time soon.

Finally, I experienced a little taste of what the first day of school jitters may feel like in a few years. You see, we took Jordan out of her previous child care facility at the end of July and she started "college" today at the WSU children's center. I was super nervous that she would be very shy and experience separation anxiety this morning. In anticipation, I took her there 30 minutes early and stayed to play and help her get used to her new environment and new teachers. Turns out she was very distracted by all the new toys and new faces that she didn't even realize that I was there. When I came to visit during lunch she was happy and smiling, even as I left to return to work. I am really pleased with her new childcare provider so far, and it's great that I can come visit her throughout the day, it's a quick 5 minute walk from my lab to her building.

The Walker

Jordan has started to stroll around with her walker.  It's really a love hate relationship.  She loves it when she can make it around, but hates it when it makes her fall to the ground.