Okay, we have quite a bit of catching up to do, since the last pre-birth calendar event was at 33 weeks and here we are entering data for Joni's 10 months. The info is around, we just have to gather it up, so bear with us. For now, here is what Joni has been up to these last 3 months.

Month 10

> Joni's 10th month so far has been extremely fun. We are in the middle of it at the moment. But right now she is standing up on her own on occassion, though we aren't sure how aware of it she is. She has cut her first tooth (bottom front left) and is cutting another one right next to it. Right...that part wasn't fun. But it was bad either. She hasn't had any sleepless night up crying because of it, just the occasional mood swing (that some people like to attest is purely hereditary) and she's had a bit of a drool spell. Also this month Joni got her first shoes with Grandma Isbell and mommy. Look for those pictures shortly. She tasted her first real table food. A biscuit and Grandma had her chew on a chicken bone end. Momm is trying to ease her into other table food but at the moment the only one she likes is rice and we think that's because she can pick them up and put them in her mouth. She is beginning to like to control her food, to mom and dad's chagrin. But it must be...

She is being taught baby sign and the first sign is EAT. WE put our hands ot our mouths when we feed her. She hasn't used it quite yet to show she's hungry but when we stay Eat, she will point ot our mouths. Oh, she's pointing and saying der! And she is waving bye-bye, but that might have happened in the ninth month..It's all a blurr.

She's also started the whole, watch her toys drop thing. It hasn't gotten really bad yet, but she does it in her highchair and when she's in the grocery cart. She doesn't even watch it drop, just watchs our expression, which happens to be "perturbed"

She is only halfway thru her 10th month so we'll let you know how the rest of it goes...

Month 9
Month 9 Pictures

In her 9th month Joni has fully perfected her crawl, especially when it comes to running away from Mommy and Daddy when she has something she's not supposed to have. She's closed doors, she loves patty cake (especially when she gets tickled at the end) and she stands up and climbs over things any chance she can get.

True to herself in the womb, Joni is a busy little busy. She's no lap baby, really, she's no keep me still in anything baby. Though she rides in the car and stroller quite well, the girl knows when to pick her battles.

IN the month, Joni has really understood associations. Learning that staring at mom while clapping means I want to play patty cake (or rather watch you do it) She's learned to cut on and off tv. She's like pressing the remote control buttons to see what it will do. And mommy's favorite, she expects to see hand movements while hearing itsy bitsy spider so when she is being changed (and once they get mobile, they will not stay on their back for being changed) mommy will sing it and she will stay still waiting for the hands and when her diaper is safely on and the messy safely off, she'll get to see and hear what she was waiting intently for.

Month 8
Month 8 Pictures - part1
Month 8 Pictures - part2

Month 8 was a great time for mommy since in that time, Mommy first had Joni says Mama infront of witnesses (she's heard it before, but no one, namely DAD, would admit it) It was appropriately on mothers day. That day the family took a trip to Callaway gardens and enjoyed the flowers and butterflies. It was a great time.

Also in this month and all at once, Joni decide to sit up on her own, crawl and clap. I swear in a matter of 2 days. It was awesome. I believe the exact date was May 10th. Joni also had her first experience at Chuck E Cheese's for her cousin's 7th birthday party, Mom was terrified of the germs especially since she stopped breastfeeding Joni on her 8th month birthday, but she emerged coldless. Oh, Joni hasn't had a cold yet (let me find some wood...) Praise God. It's inevitable, but we're not looking forward to it.

Month 7
Month 7 Pictures
In Joni's 7th month, she progressed from rocking on her hands in knees to a scooch, then to a face forward leap/scooch maneuver. It's really cute...and scary. Point is, the girl can get to what she wants so we are steady picking up things from the floor, re-arranging our house and lives for the mobile child. Mainly, Joni loves to taste things, everything, several times. She's still incredibly vocal with her loud and boisterous babblings. Dada and Nana being her favorites at the moment. She is getting increasingly better at hand/eye coordination and the fine details with that. We are to start her on finger food shortly. Joni knows the word "no" but doesn't quite care on a consistent basis. We have a feeling this type of behavior may go beyond this month, keep us in prayer. :0)