Nine (and a half) Months Old!

Well, shoot. It's been almost two weeks now since you turned nine months old. It's gardening season, and it's hard to stay inside at the computer when there is so much to be done. A word of warning to you, my dear... one day when you're living your big, independent, adult life you may realize, all of a sudden, that you've turned into your mother. And you may *actually* not mind it so much. So apparently I'm an avid gardener now. Grandma herself did not see this coming!


Anyway, so you're a big (holding steady at 75th percentile), independent nine month-old these days. If you're hungry, you grab some food (you insist on feeding yourself these days). If you're thirsty, you pick up your sippy cup and have some water. If you're bored, you move around to your toys or you get my attention to play. If you could use the bathroom, you'd be pretty much self-sufficient!


Seriously, though, the crawling thing is coming along. You're still dragging yourself around at this point, but you get up on hands and knees pretty regularly. You also finally rolled from back to front. Only once, but it was very exciting. Your small motor skills are coming along well. You can turn pages, feed yourself (obviously), and you love fingering things, especially fasteners like buttons, zippers, and snaps. You are pretty content to sit around fingering things, chewing, talking, and observing, which is probably why the moving thing isn't a big priority for you.


Speaking of talking, I'm happy to report you finally said "ma-ma" and even "mommy". You had been spoiling Daddy pretty regularly with a "daddy" when he'd go get you first thing in the morning, and one day I finally got my due. Daddy brought you into our room to drag me out of bed, and you said "mommy". If Daddy hadn't been there to confirm, I would've thought I was dreaming! You can also say "ball" in context, and you occasionally attempt "dog". It is really thrilling to watch you figure things out.


You are becoming such a little socialite. We've been taking you out a lot lately, and you love charming everyone around you. You recently learned to wave, and have been trying that out on strangers to reward them for taking an interest in you. You are even starting to get comfortable playing with and being held by other people. Grandpa Steve came to visit, and you and he got a long just great. He held you, pushed you in the swings, took you for walks, and you guys played together a lot. It made him (and us) so happy.


You are a delight to everyone around you, but no one more than me. Now... I've got some gardening to do.

Love,
Mommy

Locomotion

Whew! There has got to be a more efficient way to do this.




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Finally, enough hair

I've wanted a faux hawk for so long. Woo hoo!

A Banner Day

Aunt Sarah came to visit this weekend, and she, Mommy, and I had a fantastic day downtown.

First, we stopped at Millennium Park for a picnic.




Then, we checked out the Art Institute's new modern wing (I'm afraid I was napping, and didn't get any pictures). It is spectacular.

Finally, we met up with Daddy for happy hour. A perfect ending to a banner day.

Nobody puts baby in a corner

I just kind of end up here, repeatedly. Can someone please come get me?

Easily Entertained, the Sequel

What am I, a trained seal?



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Eight Months Old!

Hello, my little angel. Eight months is proving to be a very fun age. You are at once becoming more adventurous and less willing to be away from me. You want to conquer the world... with Mommy at your side. And of course you're still relatively immobile, so world domination will have to wait a bit longer. In the meantime, let's just hang out and play... you are so highly entertaining these days!


You have been showing off some exciting new tricks recently. Since I am a procrastinator (you've been eight months old for several days now), I can report that you have recently started scooting on your bottom to get closer to things. Only a couple of inches, but you're getting the hang of it. You also successfully transitioned from sitting to hands and knees to tummy yesterday. Usually, this requires falling and then crying, so it was great progress.


You are also learning to clap and wave. We started going to Wiggleworms (yes, really, a baby music class) recently, and the clapping is coming in very handy. You also bounce and bop your head around to music. You're not always in rhythm, but it sure is cute. I turned off your Biscuit Brothers CD the other day and you turned around and yelled at me. Ok, ok, I turned it back on!

Other favorites activities right now include:

• Reading (ok, chewing on) books.
• Hollering in church (fortunately deemed "joyous noise" by other congregants).
• Putting things in your mouth. Special favorites are grass, dandelions, and junkmail.
• Trying to pull out Mayday's fur (and put it in your mouth, naturally).
• Talking. To anyone who will listen. About nothing in particular.
• Charming everyone around you.
  
• And, of course, eating!
  

Eight months meant the beginning of a broader range of menu options. You have recently tried some dairy products and lots of finger foods. It's amazing how quickly your pincer grasp developed when we started putting Cheerios in front of you. Apparently, food is a strong motivator for you (duh). I'll admit, I tried luring you across the floor with some Cheerios, but then I started picturing you in therapy someday trying to discover the cause of your eating disorder... Mayday was getting most of them, anyway.

Hmm... what else is new? Well, there are your teeth! Yes, my dear, you have two tiny little teeth, and you know how to use them. You can gnaw on an apple, and on all of your toys, and on your mommy (who would appreciate it if you wouldn't).

I took this photo of you the other day.


In it, I think you look very much like a little girl. You're obviously still very much a baby, but I'll bet you look a lot like the little person in this photo a few years from now. And what a delightful little person you are becoming... I can't wait to see what the next month holds.

Love,
Mommy

(again, "mah-mee" or just "ma-ma" would be fine)