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February 7, 2014

9 Months

Dear Gianni,


I have no idea how you are 9 months old, 


or how we're less than 3 months away from your first birthday party.  


I have no idea how yesterday you were brand new in my arms and today you climb all over me and army crawl across the floor in record speed. 


For the first time, a few weeks ago, you sort of stood up when I held you up to see if you would bear weight on your legs. A few days after that, you crawled on hands and knees halfway across your bedroom floor. A week or so ago you grabbed onto the ottoman and pulled yourself up to standing on tippie toes. And a few days after that, you pushed up to a downward facing dog yoga position before plopping backwards onto your bottom. 


We're already racing to keep up with you.



Kiddo, you are STRONG.


You are in a stage of the very best facial expressions EVER.  You crack up when I make faces at you or tickle you or giggle with you.  


This week, you smiled, flirted and waved to everyone in Chick-fil-A who would give you the time of day.


You almost sign "all done," and you smile a huge smile and laugh when I sign "all done" and ask if you are.  Then you usually try to immitate me.


You're a screamer. 


At least just before meals you are.  You've got a set of lungs on you and your screams make it pretty much impossible to do anything but RUN with food to your side.  Then you eat anywhere between 6 and 18 oz of food per meal.  Sometimes we just can't shovel it in fast enough.  Your Papa says you're trying to fill up all of your rolls. Baby, you can eat! One morning I looked at my breakfast bowl and your breakfast bowl and I realized suddenly... they're the same size! These days you eat just about everything we do, mashed or pureed, except dairy.  


You are still nursing at breakfast, lunch, bedtime and dinner, although you're getting awfully squirmy. I'm just enjoying it for as long as it will last because I know it will be gone before too long. 


Soon you'll be eatin' so much more, because last week you cut your first tooth! Bottom left, baby and you screamed bloody murder until you were just shaking and sobbing. You broke my heart! Until I found that tooth and then I was all proud of you. :) Your bottom right one is just about to come through as well.  



You say Papa, Mamamamama, Na-na, Ba-ba, and a week or so ago you added da-da to your repertoire.



You weigh 19 pounds or more and 9-12 months clothes fit you like leotards. 12-18 months clothes fit you much better.




You're becoming a bit of a cuddler this month. Occasionally you spontaneously turn in and lay your head down on my chest or shoulder (or that of who ever has you). It's absolutely adorable and I melt to pieces every single time. Occasionally you try to eat my face, which I think is your attempt to kiss me. 




You LOVE grabbing handfuls of my hair or flesh. This is NOT really a favorite for me. 



It's a blast to watch you play these days.  You like to pull all of the toys off of the bottom shelf of your bookshelf and climb up into it.  Then you slide yourself from one end of it to the other and slide off the other end onto the floor.  You LOVE to climb over your brother, and he adores it too. The two of you wrestle and climb all over each other.  I guess boy love-language is wrestling from the start.


Speaking of your brother... he adores you.  He's protective of you and he is so good at watching out for you.  And it's impossible to get through a photo session with you without him joining in. 




My favorite moments these days, are when you are finished playing, so you crawl over to me and attempt to climb up my leg.  Then I pull you into my arms and you press your face into mine and give me the most winning smile, complete with a wrinkled nose and a sort of snorty breath.  It's the cutest thing EVER. 


I love you to bits and pieces, sweet boy.

Kisses and hugs,
Your Mama