Nine months

Somehow, nine months just seems so much older than just another month past eight. Maybe it's because you're becoming more of your own person so much more quickly lately, it seems.

You now have five words- Dada, Mama, doggie, hello, and bath. Honestly, I'm afraid people are gonna accuse me of false claims on those last three because you're only nine months old and they don't necessarily sound like their English equivalents, but it's not like you're going to immediately say things the way an adult would. And you only say them at their appropriate times, like today when Uncle Curtis's roommate Mark said hi and waved to you, you waved back and said "ha-ya", and when you see Ace you say "dah-eh" and when it's time for bath you say "ba" (not to be confused with "bah" which you use for juuuuust about everything else).

You crawl at super speed, but haven't gotten past cruising along furniture. You do let go sometimes, mostly when you have something in both hands and don't realize one of them isn't on a piece of furniture :)

You're still long and lean, but your pediatrician is no longer worried. At your 9 month check up you were taller than 68% of babies your age, but 93% of babies your age weighed more than you. You're more like your Daddy every day...

You're nursing for shorter amounts of time lately. I think you're starting to wean yourself, which is bittersweet. I will dearly miss these special times that it's just you and me, but I gotta say, I'm looking forward to having a little freedom.

You're a champ at feeding yourself. You LOOOOVE Cheerios! In fact when you see me get the box out of the pantry you squeal and start banging on the high chair :) you're starting to eat what we eat, not just your special baby food- in fact today you had pizza -and it makes you feel so big. You get this look on your face like you think you are hot stuff. It's so cute!

You have been super fascinated with Ace lately (which is probably why doggie was your third word). He is, after all, the third member of your family. You smile and stare at him when he comes in the room and usually wave and say doggie. If we aren't paying close attention, you crawl over to Ace super fast and pet him, which really means pull his hair. So Ace avoids you right now. He goes to the other couch when he sees you coming. It makes me giggle. On the rare occasion that you do reach him, we've been very proud of Ace- he only whines at us to ask us to remove your grabby hands from his sensitive beard, or he growls at you. We're glad he's proven over and over that we will be warned. It's only fair... Oh! That reminds me- you want no single material thing more in this world than Ace's hot dog toy. I spend more time diverting you from that than anything else.

You've got your first diaper rash, and I think it's my fault- I changed up the formula for your cloth wipes and it's making your diapers retain oils and soap residue which is what's irritating your skin, I think. So tonight you're in disposables and I'm trying to get the residue off. Yay.

You have no teeth. Still. But I gotta say that's just fine with me ;) What's not so fine with me is constantly wondering if you're teething or not. I mean who knows? All of the symptoms of teething are basically things babies are constantly doing/going through anyway! Drooling? Since you were three months old. Runny diapers? Um, duh. Sticking things in your mouth/biting them. I'm not even gonna dignify that one with a response...

You're pretty clingy right now. The separation anxiety is starting to wear on me, but I love you and your cuddles, even if they mean I have no personal freedom ;)

You belly laugh now, usually when you're being tickled, but sometimes at silly things like peekaboo with mommy or dogs on the TV. You love to hang upside down, that always gets you going. And of course tickling- your inner thigh is the best place, but your armpits and clavicle are good too :)

You loooooove to see yourself on Mama's phone. Actually, you cheese it up when I pull out the phone and point it at you at all. That cracks me up that you know what I'm doing. Makes for super cute pictures though.

Bottom line, we love you, Sweet Boy. You're more of a joy every day.