Nine months...and Mommy's tired!

Happy nine-month birthday, Joel! The morning started out with the famous bear shot. He was fairly cooperative this month, but he's way more interested in mauling the bear than he is in sitting nice for Mommy. The poor bear might have to retire early! At 10:00 we had his appointment at Sears. My friend Shelley met me there to help watch him while I ordered pictures...THANK GOD!!!! I might have gone crazy without her! We were the first appointment of the day and didn't get out of there until 11:45! Joel was not in a very good mood this morning, and the photographer was not as patient as the others have been. The pictures are pretty cute, but we had to work really hard for them! Joel absolutely would not smile....even his beloved Elmo couldn't pull one out of him! I'm sure we looked ridiculous....three grown women singing "Row, Row, Row your boat" and rolling around on the floor trying to make him smile. By the time we got to the Christmas pictures, he was done. He didn't cry much, he just looked grumpy! Plus, I think he is getting teeth and his cheeks seem to break out when that is happening. He's perfect as far as I'm concerned! I can't believe that our next appointment will be for his first birthday already. It will be here before we know it. Tomorrow night we go to Wauseon to help put up Mom and Dad's tree and to celebrate Uncle Jason's birthday. Since Joel loves his tree so much it will be interesting to see how he does with a much bigger one. Hopefully he is in a good mood. More later.....