Month 9

Dear Reid,

Have I mentioned how much we love you? Yeah? I'll mention it again anyway. We love you. Not just your Dad and I, but LOTS of people. You are one loved little man. Don't forget that.

We pretty well knew from day one you were going to be a mover. You've always been so busy and everyday becomes a little more so. You now pull-up, stand, cruise around furniture. You still army crawl fast as a speeding bullet too. These changes make you look like such a big boy. The newborn Reid is out (mostly) and the almost toddler is in. You're constantly moving and are becoming more vocal. You're sure to let us know if you're displeased which isn't nearly as often as you're happy. Thank goodness! 

With all your new activity has come some falls, bruises, and a few crocodile tears. Oh how you make me nervous. It breaks my heart to see you hurt but I know it has to happen. You have to fall to learn to get back up. You're learning that and are super resilient. You've also been learning to sit down once you're up. This is new because for a while you would just stand until we saved you or you fell over. Now you sloooooowly squat way down - as far as you can while still holding on - before finally dropping the rest of the way. It's hilarious to watch. You're so dang determined (and cute). This same principle is what we've based all our parenting decisions on. We always want you to feel loved and have comfort in that but we also want you to be independent and able to help yourself succeed. It's hard to find the right balance but know that we're trying our very best to give you the best of both worlds.

A couple weeks ago, I had the pleasure of holding you while you slept. One minute you were awake and the next you were conked out in my arms just like our first days home... only you take up much more of my lap these days... and I loved it. I held you and studied your face, your little hands... your feet. So much has changed but so many things are the same. I guess those things are the "you" things that might always be there. You still have the same expression on your face when you sleep as you did the first day we met. Those "you" things bring me some comfort amongst all the changes... the changes I'm sure I'll notice more of as we move closer to your first birthday.

For now I'll continue to enjoy the new and the old while pretending that birthday is forever away still. =)

Love you,

Mama

Highlights:

• You added a few new food flavors to your palette, including: watermelon and tomato, (neither of which you were super fond of but maybe it was the texture; watermelon was also your first real finger food besides puffs) yogurt, pineapple, freeze-dried yogurt bites and spinach. You also started having some pureed meals... stuff like chicken and sweet potato, turkey dinner, country beef and veggies (not a fan). You tried cut up bananas and weren't impressed. You like the taste of bananas so it must just be the texture or the fact that it was bigger pieces. You gagged. Drama.

• You spent some time with Aunt Darla and Uncle Darin while Connie was on vacation.

• You managed to avoid a stomach bug even after being exposed to it by tons of people... including several of your daycare buddies. I hope you keep that immune system.

• You still loved making noise and treating everything like a drum.

• You wore size 3-4 diapers.

• You wore 9-12 and 12-month clothes... even wore a few 12-18 month PJ's.

• You got another tooth... a bicuspid. That's 7 teeth mister. There's still a few just riiiight there.

• You endured another wonder week... it was pretty rough at times but it sure was cool to see you learn so many new things.

• You started pulling up and standing on your own. One morning, at just over 8 months, you got up on your knees. Later that afternoon you stood all the way up. That turned into pulling up and standing constantly. You went through a phase of practicing standing in your crib for up to 45 minutes before falling asleep for naps and at bedtime. Oh and let's not forget all the chewing you did on your crib rails.

• A couple days later you were up on your knees thinking about standing without holding on to anything. You didn't do it... but you sure were testing the waters.

• You continued to army crawl as fast as you could around the house and you when you hold still long enough (rarely ever) you sit like a little champ now.

• You really started to hold your bottle more. You also started really  biting at the nipple. I'm certain had we been able to nurse, we'd be done by now due to your death bite. =)

• You continued to drink a 6oz bottle at 6 a.m., 9 a.m., and 3 p.m. You continued eating solids for supper and switched to solids at lunchtime too. You drank a bedtime bottle around 7 - 7:15 p.m. and went to bed between 7:45 and 8.

• I still offered you water in a sippy cup occasionally, but you rarely drank much from it. You mostly just wanted to chew on the cup.

• You still thought Peety was the funniest thing on the planet. 

• You waved for the first time - the sweetest little dainty wave. =) 

• You crawled (real crawling) for the first time the evening of August 22 - during Wii Night.

• You started to share. You offered up your pacifier. That is proof of the loving heart you have, that you'd be willing to share something so important. =) Keep that, little dude.

• You got your first bloody lip =( and your first little bruise/welt by your eye. A product of your constant determination to stand and move.