9 month update

Happy nine months Addison!

I think you're pretty excited about life this month, and are happily showing off lots of changes to celebrate.  I catch myself sometimes pining for the days when your neck was floppy and your eyes crossed, but there's no doubt that every month gets more and more fun.  I've said it before and I know I'll say it again, THIS is my favorite age so far. :)

I'll start with your physical changes since those are the easiest to notice as they develop.  Crawling is still a rather comical slither, but you're efficient at it, so rock on.  You can also go from a crawl to sitting position on your own (so talented!).  All month you've been working on pulling up and standing - first on lower objects and now on higher things like chairs, couches, and coffee tables.  You're also just starting to cruise verrrry cautiously (walking along while holding on to furniture).  While these are moments when I start to get nostalgic, I'm also so excited for you as you start to spread those little wings of independence.

I feel like "hand skills" merits its own category.  You are feeding yourself easily and are a proud waver, even to strangers in the grocery store.  You clap when you're happy, and will even give me a high-five on request.  I am extra aware of keeping the floors clean because you can pick up even the tiniest bits of dirt or crumbs with your pincer grasp (and eat them of course).  You're also discovering the Power Of The Point to express wants.

i'll take my toy bird back, please.  yes, that one.

Sleep is good.  You're still taking 2 naps a day for about 1.5 hours each.  When your activity level jumped both shifted a little earlier in the day.  Bedtime routine starts at 6:30pm and you sleep until about 7:00am.  I'm still doing a dreamfeed for my own sake around 10:00 but have started working on phasing that out - maybe by next month we'll be done with it?

I realized this month that I've been underestimating just how much you understand.  If someone simply says "Bye bye", you will start waving, meaning you definitely understand and associate the words with the action.  About half of the time, you'll also say "bye-bye," imitating us.  You know what "no" is, though choosing to listen - especially the first time! - is another matter.  If I say "More" during mealtimes, you'll open your mouth (if, in fact, you want more).  Just the other day while playing, you correctly pointed to my eyes, mouth, and nose multiple times when I asked you to, and this morning I asked you to point at Aslan, which you did right away.  No word-producing (though you definitely carry on in your own language proficiently), but it's pretty amazing to see you INTERACTING via language and gestures.  Wow.

Each month also brings its own challenges to navigate, and this month's has been food - trying to balance your need for more calories (seriously, it's like you're exercising allll day) and your lack of desire to eat enough.  I can't keep track of all the foods you've tried but some recent additions have been eggs, shredded chicken, cheddar cheese (my child likes CHEESE?!  how did this happen?!), and spaghetti.

Of course I can't believe how "big" you're getting, but you're really just a little peanut, at about 83rd% for height but 12th% for weight.  In 3 months you only gained 1.5 pounds.  Uhh?  (see challenge above). You can still fit into some 6 month clothes and your diapers are on the smallest setting.  What a wittles!  In other riveting developments, you still have just two teeth.

Favorite activities: anything in the water, standing, climbing, loud talking, eating Cheerios, dropping things on the floor for me to pick up, finding minuscule pieces of dirt to eat, chugging water as fast as possible.

Least favorite activities: sitting still, eating from a spoon, eating in general.

Sweet Addie, nine months is kind of a big deal (probably just to me), because it means you've now been "out" just as long as you were "in!"  We loved you for all those months anticipating your arrival, but couldn't have dreamed back then what joy you would bring to our lives.