9 Months

Wow.  I cannot believe that I am sitting here writing about you, my sweet nine-month-old.  It seems as if Daddy and I brought you home from the hospital just yesterday.  So many changes have taken place since your birth, so here's a little recap. 

1. Daddy got a new job at WOCC. 
2. We followed God's leading and left our home church (where we met and married!) of 8 years.
3. We God sold our condo (after 800 days on the market)...all in HIS timing.
4. We moved in with my parents (and my sister and her three kids).
5. Mommy went back to work after a wonderful maternity leave with my two beautiful boys.
6. We found a new baby-sitter/teacher/caregiver/second mommy for you and Jonathan.
7. We moved into our new home in a new (to us) community.
8. We were privileged to take part in a new building campaign at our new church. (Old hat to us!)

That's a lot of changes in such a short amount of time! 

Here's what's been happening in your life over the last month.

You learned to clap.  You get a big, open-mouthed grin on your face when we say, "Yea!" and you clap.  So precious.  You also learned to crawl fo' real.  Full speed ahead!  You still crawl with your belly on the ground sometimes (just keeping with the times...doing the "worm"), but are mostly crawling around now.  A bit slowly, but you are persevering.  Especially when you see cords/wires/anything dangly (part cat?).  You know where you want to go, and nothing can stop you.  If something (or someone!) is in your way, you just crawl right over it.  You gravitate toward "big boy" toys, and don't care for little baby toys quite as much as Jonathan's lightsabers, figures, and play food.  You want to do everything your big brother does.  You want to eat what everyone else is eating.  One day, Jonathan was sitting on the floor eating an apple, and you crawled right up into his lap and tried to take the apple from him!  You are quite a handful character.  You can go from crawling to sitting, from crawling to your knees (my personal favorite), and...tada! knees to standing!  You LOVE to stand and often lock your knees so that we can't make you sit down.  Sweet boy, you are still not sleeping through the night.  In fact, you wake-up anywhere from 4-8 times per night.  I love you so much, and I value our midnight snuggles...but if you could limit them to once or twice per night, I would be so very grateful.  You are, however, getting much better at going to sleep on your own.  As soon as we go into your darkened room, we turn on your music, give you a clothie and your binky, and you immediately lean over and put your head down.  Pure love.  It never gets old.  You are still nursing, but are eating a lot more food now.  My milk supply is way down, and I hope and pray that I can continue to nurse until you are a year old.  It pains me to know that you are growing older and my life with an infant will soon be over.  However, I know that this is the way of life, and I must accept it and move on.  I will just continue to treasure each and every moment with you.  You still say "dadadadada" and what sounds like "yeah."  Your laughter is contagious.  When you laugh, it's this big belly laugh that cracks me up.  Sometimes it's a smile that makes you laugh, or a tickle on your belly.  But the best laugh just started when you watch Jonathan brush his teeth and he spits.  You laugh so hard that you just encourage his silliness, and he then spits about a dozen times just to keep hearing your sweet laughter.  You look for Jonathan when you hear his voice, and smile brightly when you see him.  Jonathan declared the other day that you are his "best buddy" (heartmelt #9,215).  Your laughter is sometimes short-lived and can immediately turn to crying or fussing.  Three ways to describe this month would be: active, fussy, and sleepless nights.  :O)  You are happiest when being held, being tickled, sucking on your binky, and when playing with Jonathan.  Your face seriously lights up when you see your big brother...and his does, too!  I couldn't have hand-picked a better big brother.  Jonathan is genuinely concerned about your well-being.  He loves to hug you and make you giggle.  You are still wearing 6-9 month clothing, little peanut.  I'm not sure how because you love to eat, and you scream when we take too long between bites.  We will find out how much you weigh at the end of January.  I love you, Owie.

Take One...of many.

Baby push-ups (just like last month)!

Poor baby!

"I can play like Daddy."