Nine Months!

Dear Campbell,

Today you are nine months old. That means you're three-fourths of the way through your first year. At this point, I'm really starting to feel like time is flying by too fast. You're changing so quickly and I'm often afraid to blink.

We will go to your doctor appointment next week to find out how much you weigh and how tall you are, but let me tell you -- you have grown! You are wearing size 12 month clothes (some 18 months too!) and size 3 diapers (size 4 at night). Your legs are essentially trunks and you love to stand as much as you can. You'd much rather stand than sit or try to crawl. You are still rocking on all fours, but you really haven't had any interest in crawling yet, and I'm okay with that! Though I hate to see you frustrated that you can't move quite yet, I'm enjoying your immobility because I know it won't last much longer. You are clapping now with both hands open and you are trying to pull up on things, too! We've had so much fun watching you reach all these fun milestones this month.

You are still eating like a champ! You have four bottles a day, and a breakfast, lunch and dinner in between. You still eat mostly purees, but you also like to eat banana, avocado, scrambled eggs and black beans. You love your Mum Mums and yogurt melts and you have a very serious relationship going on with water. You love to drink it from your sippy cup and from a regular glass (though you get yourself soaked when I let you do that!)

You are still sleeping great, too. You go to bed around 7 and wake up around 6. Some mornings you'll sleep later and sometimes you wake up at 5:30. It's always a fun game to make bets on how late you'll sleep in! You take two naps a day at 9:00 am and 1:30 pm. You've become an awesome napper, and I am so grateful. I'm able to get so much done during the day now, and you are such a happy bunny when you get some good rest.

Some things I don't want to forget about you right now...

• The way you flap your arms up and down so fast when you get excited about something
• The way you suck on your lips now because your teeth feel funny against your cheeks
• Your bear hugs. You wrap your arms around me now and just squeeze. Love. 
• How ticklish you are. Your dad can make you laugh so hard you can't breathe. It's hilarious.
• Typically when you are done eating or drinking, you'll seal your lips tight or push the bottle away. Except at night. For your bedtime bottle, when you decide you are full and finished, instead of pushing the bottle away, you look over to the nightstand at the pile of books as if to say, "Okay, Mom, I'm ready for story time. Let's go!" 
• You love musical instruments. You love banging the drums, the piano, shaking maracas and bells. You are even starting to imitate some of the rhythms that your teachers and I do. 
• You are a babbling machine! You are discovering new sounds every day and you wake up now just ready to talk your way through the day. Lots of "ba, ga, dabee, ooo"
• You're becoming very wary about being in other people's arms. I understand you want to be with Mommy and Daddy, but we are pushing you to try new things and explore your world with us right there to support you. 
• You have two teeth! 

Bunny, I love you so much and have had such a fun month with you. Happy nine month day to you!

Love,
Mommy