9 months.

9 months. I can't believe it's been that long. I still feel like you're teeny tiny. Maybe it's because you're the baby...and you'll always be the baby. You're creeping up on one year, but to me, you still seem brand new. I try to keep you little. I still dress you in onesies. You rarely wear collared shirts or real shoes. You still wear footed jammies and night gowns. You still sleep right against me all night long, and although you have yet to sleep through the night, I'm in no hurry for you to sleep in your own room. I love the way you nuzzle against me and how perfectly your little head fits under my arm.

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9 months: 2 bottom teeth! 

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Things you love:

-mommy's milk

-dancing

-Radio Flyer car

-the stuffed animal/baby doll basket in  

  Lil's room

-taking baths

-Dum Dum suckers

-Barney

-Baby Einstein movies

-balls

-popsicles 

-mommy's iPhone

-FaceTime

-water

-Papa Kelbo

-being outside

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There's so much to say about you this month. I guess I'll start with the biggest news. You're walking! You've been taking steps for a month, but two days before Christmas you got brave. You've been standing up in the middle of the floor from a squatting position for a couple of weeks, but now you will stand up and walk distances across the room! LilliAnn was this exact age when she started walking. You love chasing the big kids and you've been bear crawling on the cold, tile floor for almost two months because you don't like the feel of it on your knees, so I knew you would probably walk early. The first few times you walked, the big kids would clap and cheer for you and you would get so excited. Your cheesy, two-teeth grin is priceless! 

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Speaking of teeth, you have two now. The first one (bottom right) came in at 8 1/2 months, and the second (bottom left) came in right at 9 months. You LOVE to eat, and have recently become very interested in more textured food. You still eat about 4 packages of organic baby food daily, but you love whole green beans, bites of mashed potatoes and sweet potatoes, little bites of chicken or turkey, chicken and dumplings, yogurt, and rice from the Mexican or Japanese restaurants! The Earth's Best brand seems to be your favorite brand. You love anything with sweet potatoes, apples, pears, kale, spinach, carrots, cherries, or acai Berry, but I have to work hard to get you to eat any banana, blueberry, squash or sweet pea blends. I try to stay away from dairy and grains, however some of the breakfast mixes have quinoa, barley, chia, oats, or Greek yogurt. Thankfully, you haven't had a problem with any foods. You are quite the "snacker" and I always try to keep organic gluten-free puffs or organic fruit bites on hand. You also love water and want frequent drinks from your sippy cup. You've been able to drink from a straw since 6 months, and I've found that the sippy cups with a straw work best. You take the biggest drinks, and you start smiling and patting your hands every time I say, "Want a drink?" 

I recently started you on the IntraKid multivitamin and Infant formula probiotic. You love the taste of it, and the small amount of iron hasn't seemed to constipate you...actually, you're a great "pooper." You have about 3-4 dirty diapers a day, which means you have a healthy digestive system! 

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9 Months…AND WALKING!!!

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You've been saying a couple of words for the past two months or so, but this month is when I really started noticing you "talking."

Words at 9 months:

-bite

-dada

-hot

-bye bye

-occasionally mama

-occasionally bubba

When I put food on the big kids' table, you pull up on it and say "bite." And every time I put you in your high chair you say, "bite!" The other night your crawled up to Nana while she was eating and bounced up and down on your knees saying "bite!" 

The kids love to feed you...the pinch off tiny pieces of their snacks, and it's not uncommon to see you crawling around the house eating pretzels, cheez-it's, goldfish, or even little pieces of bacon! 

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I absolutely adore your personality. And so does everyone else! You are always happy and you smile for everyone who talks to you. You give the best hugs, and you even have started giving kisses! You especially love your Papa Kelbo and when we're at the office, you always crawl into his office to find him (maybe because he always gives you suckers or bites of candy)! 

You love playing peek-a-boo. Every morning when I'm in the bath, you stand in the side of the tub and squat down where I can't see you. I'll say, "where's Rush?" Then you'll pop up and smile at me and start laughing, then we'll do it again. It's the cutest thing ever! 

Dancing is another thing that you've started doing this month. You absolutely love music, and you will bounce on your knees and bob your head when you hear something playing. Last week, you and Uncle Kass were getting down to some Bruno Mars, Uptown Funk!

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Already looking like a little quarterback!

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It's been the best 9 months of my life. I love having three kids, and you have been the cherry on top of my sundae, Rush. You are my joy and I am so, so very glad that we have you. You make me happier than I ever knew possible. I love you sweet baby boy.