Nine Months!

      Dear Jack,

You were nine months old on July 29th!  So, I'm a week and a half late.  You'll learn that about Mommy - she is a habitual procrastinator/late-to-the-party kinda gal.  She tries her hardest, but usually just comes up a day late (week and a half) and a dollar short (several dollars).

But I digress.

I know I've probably said this before, and I'm sure I'll say it again, but I think this has been my favorite age thus far.  

I just look at you and want to eat. you. up!  You have stolen my heart for sure, little man.

At your last doctor's appointment you weighed 19 lbs. 11 oz.  You were 28 1/2" long and had a head circumference of 18 1/4".  You are still wearing size 3 diapers and primarily 12 month size clothing.  I did, however, put you in an 18-24 month size outfit recently, and it wasn't all that big.  We are still doing the cloth diaper thing, and I think it is going well!  We still use the disposables when we're out of town or Mommy is behind on the laundry.  Although, I still haven't figured how to spray off a poopy diaper in the toilet without spraying the entire bathroom or myself for that matter.  Must work on this.       

You are becoming more and more mobile every day.  If there is something that you want, and it's not within your reach, you will find a way to get it.  Even if you have to pull yourself across an entire room to get to it.  I do believe it's your preferred activity these days.  You are already so busy and curious, once you really start moving we are going to have our hands full!  We had to lower your crib this month, because Mommy found you pulling up on it!  You can still only get to your knees, but it was still far enough that it made me nervous!

You are still waking up usually around once in the night.  I'll feed you, and you'll go right back to sleep.  This happens MOST nights, not every night.  You still have the occasional wakeupeverytwohours kind of night, which we LOVE.  These leave us feeling crabby and tired happy and rested and ready to start a new day the next morning!  We are only able and willing to forgive you once you wake up and we are reminded of how incredibly cute and sweet you actually are and that you really didn't mean to torment us with all that crying nonsense the night before ;) 

Not too sure at what point I'm going to stop feeding you in the night . . . it works so well at putting you soundly back to sleep that I've kind of been wondering what I'm going to do when I stop nursing you!  Guess we'll cross that bridge when we come to it.  I am trying to pump more and more bottles so you won't be so shell-shocked when it comes time to wean.        

Your eating habits do however leave much to be desired - not with the milk, but the solid foods.  Milk is still by far your favorite source of nutrients, while you'll only tolerate most solid foods I put in front of you.  Corn and butternut squash seem to be a favorite.  Pears, bananas, apples - anything sweet.  But the vegetables, you could take 'em or leave 'em.  And most of the time you leave 'em.  Looks like you got your Daddy's palette, while Mommy scarfed down anything that was put in front of her!  Butter included.  Yikes, this is unfortunately true.  Which begs the question, why was butter put in front of me in the first place?

You are basically entertained by anything that is not a child's toy.  Whether it be a lid, a hairbrush, some measuring spoons, whatever it may be, it must not be child related in any way, or you won't be interested.  You love running water and are fascinated by it!  You recently discovered bubbles in the kitchen sink and thought they were the neatest thing ever, which they are.  You love dogs and are just enamored when one is around.  You love, love, love your daddy and practically leap out of my arms to get to him when he comes home. You think he is the funniest person ever.  You still love the Johnny-Jump-Up, but most of the time you would rather not be contained in something at all.  

You are still cooing and making all kinds of precious noises that your daddy and I just adore.  We say all the time how we are going to miss your little baby noises.  You still only say "mamamama" or "dadadada", but you don't really address us as such.  

Well, I guess that's about it!  I can't think of much else to say other than we love you to the moon and back, little one.  Happy 9 month birthday!             

*Side note:  Right after this picture above was taken, you flipped out of the crate face first into the grass.  Mommy had to laugh ;)