Happy Nine Month Birthday!

Today is Lusi's nine month birthday!  Again, I cannot believe how fast the time is going and just how much she is changing and growing, month to month.  This past month has gone by so quick, especially with Christmas and New Years it went by so fast.  I have been so bad at uploading pictures so I will have to add them into this blog later.  But I just wanted to blog on her birthday so here is what Lusi has been up to this month.
On Dec.18 I noticed Lusi's first tooth coming in, her bottom right front tooth, and it broke through later that week.  I was surprised when I saw it because she wasn't even fussy, drooly or doing anything different to make me think she was teething.  I was actually wondering when she was going to start teething because it seemed like every other baby I saw was already getting their teeth.  I guess she just wanted to surprise us.  I noticed her second tooth coming in just yesterday, her bottom left front tooth!
Christmas was fun, my dad came into town on the 22nd and was excited to see his Sofia, as he likes to call her.  Unfortunately Teki had to work, missed Lusi's first Christmas but it was okay because he got off around 2 and we still had time with my family and his.  Christmas morning Lusi woke up around 8ish and everyone was still sleep.  So we just got up ate and started playing while we waiting for everyone to get up.  Finally everyone started getting up around 10 and my dad the last one got up at 11.  So we had to hurry and open presents because we were all going to church at 12.  So we started opening presents and it was fun trying to get Lusi to open her gifts but she really wasn't that interested.  So we just helped her out and tried to get her to get into it.  But maybe next year she will enjoy it more.  She got some clothes, a baby doll, a few puzzle boards one with numbers, one with shapes and colors, and a magnet chalkboard with the alphabet.  Big lego blocks, a singing nursery rhyme book, a cart/high chair cover, socks, snacks, sippy cups, and her first baby toothbrush.  After presents we had to hurry and get ready for church and she got to wear her new red Christmas dress, she was so cute.  After church Teki got home and he opened his presents and we got ready to go down to his family's Christmas party.  We ate, played games and had fun just spending time with Teki's Unufe family.  Lusi was kind of a grump and wasn't very friendly with all her cousins and family.  She kept crying every time someone tried to hold her.  She got even more gifts down there, more clothes and some toys.  I realized the next day why she was such a grump.  The day after Christmas she got her first cold.  She had a runny nose and started coughing.  It was the saddest thing having a sick baby.  She was sick for a couple weeks and is only now seeming to recover fully.  But despite being sick she was still playful and as happy as a sick baby could be.  While she was sick she started doing her own version of a wave hello.  She just puts her arm out and holds it there, it is so cute.  She also started clapping her hands we used to try and have her do it but she would keep her hands in a fist but now she was actually clapping and doing it on her own.  She loves when you get excited and yell 'yaaaaaay' and put your hands in the air, she will copy you and will copy you when you clap.  She also has become so good at crawling and following you when walk away from her.  She used to be good about just staying in the family room and playing in there but she has started to venture out and will go around to the kitchen, making stops along the way to explore.  She has learned to climb stairs and is such a dare devil that she will turn to go down the stairs and will just go strait off the edge and not even hesitate.  We have to be right next to her to catch her or she will fall.  On New Years we went out to dinner with friends and then spent the night at home.  Teki went to bed with Lusi around 10 and I was determined to stay up till midnight because I slept through New Years last year.  So I went down to watch TV to stay up... but still fell asleep and woke up at 11:59 when the count down started.... but hey I was awake at midnight!  I went to wake up Teki to get my New Years kiss and my dad and Reed decided to do some fireworks, so Teki and I watched from our window and enjoyed a the show.  Not the most exciting New Years, but I am just happy to be blessed with health and family and that is all I need for the New Year.  The first week of January we lost out baby sitter and Lusi's favorite aunty... Aunty Jenn.  She moved back to Hawaii for school so we had to figure out what to do for a baby sitter and I work Wed-Sat.  Teki's new schedule has him off Thus and Fri.  So we just needed someone on Wed. and Sat.  Which Mele and Reed agreed they would both help out and take care of her until Teki got home around 12.  So I was really worried and didn't know what we were going to do but everything worked out and Lusi is still in good hands.  We are excited for this new year and hopefully 2012 will be as good to us as 2011 was. 
I still can't believe my baby is 9 months old!  She is just such a delight and brings so much love and joy into our home.  She is developing such a strong personality, she is a little diva!  She knows what she wants and when she doesn't get it she lets you know.  She is definitely a momma's girl!  I love her so much and am loving watching her grow up!  Happy Nine Month Birthday Baby Girl!!!

Sundays...

So our new church time for this year is 11:00 which is great for me because it was at 9 and that was so hard to get up and get myself and Lusi ready on time.  Well turns out 11 is better for getting ready but it is also right around Lusi's nap time and that isn't going to well.  She is so nosy and wants to see everything she does not like going to sleep at church.  Also Teki's new schedule with Delta has him working on Sunday's again, so I'm once again going to church alone.  It is hard, and today was one of those days that I wondered why I was even going at all.  Got up and started getting ready, got Lusi fed and dressed, even got my crock pot dinner ready all before church.  Right before we left Lusi started getting grumpy and I knew she needed a nap, she fell asleep on the way to church and so when I got there I just covered her up and took her car seat in.  Well after I walk into sacrament and sit down, I see her little feet kicking and I knew she was already awake.  So I pull her out and she is just so excited and wide awake.  So I took her car seat back to the car and got her stroller instead, she is getting so heavy and with her diaper bag and everything it's too much to carry.  She is such a busy baby, she is constantly moving and trying to see what is going on everywhere and touch everything she sees and play with all her toys 30 secs at a time.  It is hard to keep her entertained and keep her quiet and close to me for the whole sacrament.  She ended up bumping her head on the bench and screaming so I had to take her out.  She usually does something and needs to be taken out at some point.  During Sunday school our class is in the gym and I usually have to walk her around in the back of the class to keep her happy and try to put her to sleep (which hardly ever works)  luckily today I pushed her in her stroller around for about 25 min and she went to sleep.  She sleep till half way through Relief Society and then was back to being busy.  Since we are in a Tongan ward I have to use the headsets for translation in Sacrament and when Relief Society is combined (on Fast Sunday and the 5th Sunday).  It gets so hard to keep my head phones on when I'm trying to keep track of Lusi.  And today really had me questioning why I was even there.  It would be so much easier just to stay home, some Sundays I'm spending most of my time in the hall not even learning anything.  Teki isn't there and I sometimes I want to just stay home and not deal with all the hassle.  But I know it is all worth it, that it will all be worth it in the long run.  Hopefully one day Lusi will understand that I did it for her, to show her how important this gospel is and that no matter what that is where we should be on Sundays.  I don't know how my mom did it, with 5 of us all on her own.  She is such a strong women and a perfect example.  Today was just one of those days but it also helped me realize that no matter what I am where I need to be and where I should be.  I love this Church and am grateful for the blessings it brings to my life.