9 Months

Height: 29.25 inches (92%ile)
 Weight: 20 pounds (81%ile)

Another month has just whizzed by! Look at how big you're getting. I can hardly stand it. And to think we'll be celebrating your first birthday in just 3 months?! I can't EVEN!

Just look at that sweet little face! Anyway, as you can probably tell from the pictures, you are a girl on the go! You prefer crawling and cruising around furniture to cuddling these days. Both your pediatrician and your ECFE teacher think you'll be walking by 10 months! Your favorite pastime is climbing the stairs, which has become an issue because daddy and I have yet to find a baby gate that fits the bottom of our stairs properly. You knocked over and scaled the first one we attempted and climbed right under the bench I tried to use... This look says it all, "Just try to stop me, mom..."!

I think your perseverance and tenacity has a lot to do with trying to keep up with, and be like, your big brother... We're starting to hear a lot of the same words that people use to describe him, to describe you. Words like busy, independent, confident, outgoing...

Of course, everyone comments on how cute you are, too. Seriously EVERYWHERE we go people stop us to tell me what a beautiful baby you are and what gorgeous big blue eyes you have.

You seem to enjoy the attention because you love saying "hi" and waving at people passing by. Speaking of, you are up to three words now: dada, mama, and hi! I can't tell you how excited and happy it makes me to hear you say mama! I just can't get enough, even when it's coming from your room in the middle of the night!

You continue to eat like a champ, even though you're still a toothless wonder. You've gradually started to eat more and more finger foods and less purees. You haven't met a food that you dislike! I'm not sure if it's due to the extra food intake or your disinterest in sitting still, but I've been nursing you less often these days... You typically nurse really well first thing in the morning and just before bed, but during the day, I really struggle to get you interested for longer than a couple of minutes. (Minutes in which you are climbing all over me and trying to keep an eye on what's going on around you. You've even figured out how to nurse standing up!) Even though it breaks my heart a little bit, I think the weaning process has begun. I'm still planning on continuing until you're a year, but instead of nursing 5-6 times a day it seems we are down to 3-4 times a day...

The month started out with the biggest snow storm of the season. I bundled you up in your brother's old snowsuit and we went out to make a snowman (your first snowman ever and Jax's first of the season). You were not amused. (I promise that I had mittens on you, but you refused to keep them on your hands). I think you share my dislike of winter (especially winter in April)...

Thankfully, the snow melted quickly and we've finally started to enjoy some warmer days. The nicer weather has brought more playdates! You've loved getting out and exploring parks with your little friends and brother.

Last week, we had our last Baby & Me class for the year. We had a great class and I really enjoyed the little bit of one-on-one time it provided us. (And Jackson enjoyed playing with all of the big brothers in the next room).

We also celebrated Easter! You observed while Jackson dyed Easter eggs...

Easter morning you and Jackson had fun searching for eggs and playing with all the goodies the Easter bunny brought.

That afternoon, Papa Tom's side of the family came over. You had so much fun entertaining everyone that you had to go take a nap about an hour into our party!

 
I can't wait to see what the next month has in store for us!

Happy 9 months, sweetheart!

Love, Mom