9 Months

Can you believe I have a nine month old? Me neither!  In three short months I will have a one year old. Now that is scary!  I love this child so much, I feel like he was just born and now I look at him and I see the beginnings of an actual little boy rather than a baby and it makes me a little sad. Time is going by in the blink of an eye and although I know I have done my best to grab at and appreciate every moment with him, I still feel like it’s all just passing me by.

At nine months, Shane:

• Wears mostly 12 month clothes with a few 9 month left.
• Wears size three diapers; we may try fours when I have to buy them again.
• Is in between shoe sizes. Threes are too big but twos are hard to put on. He doesn't like wearing them anyway. ;)
• Weighs around 22 lbs, and is around 28 inches long.
• Usually takes a short morning nap and a long afternoon one. He goes to bed around nine and wakes up between nine and ten.
• Still mostly breastfed. Usually when I eat dinner I put him in the highchair and give him food. He's had pineapple, papaya, mango, banana, strawberry, orange, apple, pear, peas (the only dislike so far), brocolli, spaghetti squash with chili on top, tomato, salsa, crackers, yoghurt, cottage cheese, cheddar and swiss, cheese, lemon, lime, avocado, carrots, hummus, slice of an olive, piece of marshmallow, and I can't even remember what all else. Basically I've done what is called baby led weaning, in which you give the kid chunks of real food and they get to chew on it, play with it, and reject what they don't want. Obviously I watch him while he eats. Often times when I am eating something healthy he gets a little bit to try.  I'm not worried about how much he eats, since breastmilk provides everything he needs still. My qualifications are that he not get sugar or anything unhealthy. Mostly raw, whole foods. Helps me eat healthier! lol. He also gets to practice with his sippy cup at meals with a small amount of water. He pretty much skipped all of the "trainer" cups and went right to the big boy kind. He can drink out of a straw too.
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  Says Mama and Dada, and the other night he said Hi and waved but hasn't repeated that since. He does a lot of babbling but not real words. I could've sworn he said dog the other day when he saw a dog, but I could also be imagining it. You know how moms are.
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  His personality is really coming out. He's pretty laid back most of the time, but if he gets mad/frustrated he grows and then YELLS.  When he's really fed up he'll sit on the floor and do this fake sob where he rasberry's his lips. It's hard to describe, but it's funny.  He'll also sit there and say mama over and over. I love it.
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  He crawls, cruises furniture, and even will stand on his own for a few seconds. Until he realizes he's not holding on to something and gets scared! He also has a table toy that he uses as a walker to walk up and down the hallway. He climb but can't make it on the couch yet. He can get on the coffee table though!
• When you pick him up, he clings to your shirt like a little monkey. It's precious.
• Things he loves: Swinging or being outdoors in general, baths, tickles, hanging upside down, jewelry, "walking" while holding our hands, staring at the cats, cousin Alie,

I love you very much, little boy.  I'm so glad I get to be your mommy!