Happy 9 month Birthday !!!

I cannot believe my little man is 3/4 of a year old- CRAZY! We just booked his 1st Birthday party at the Philadelphia Zoo- so exciting and yet it makes me want to cry.

So Brooksles (that nickname is courtesy of Eric). Here is what you are up to at 9 months

Every single day you do something new. You have your strength and are trying to learn how to use it
* you sit easily on your own, I don't even worry much about cushions for you anymore.
* you propel yourself from sitting to a crawling position. This is the point you get really annoyed that you don't know how to go farther. Eventually you kerplunk onto your tummy
* you just started scooching backwards - half real crawl, half army crawl
* you lift yourself from a crawling position to your hands and feet (kind of like a yoga position)
*you are just starting to pull up on things- you use me, your toys, your chair and work yourself from sitting- to your knees, and eventually to standing. But you are not too good at that yet, I have to be around
* You are going to the big boy bath because of pulling up using the bathtub in the kitchen
* We are lowering your crib this weekend because you attempted to pull up on the mobile, better to lower it now before you master your skills and topple out!
*you stand holding onto things- and sometimes let go and stand on your own for a few seconds before falling
* you are babbling up a storm- the consonants you say are h, a hard k, a hard g, m, and b
* YOU HAVE A TOOTH!!!! it broke through on 3/16. It is still very low and not visible, but it is through the gum and I can feel the sharp little pointy vampire tooth with my fingers (not that you let me feel it willingly)
* you love your mommy and daddy- we get the best greetings from you
* you have started to grunt to indicate what you want- you look at it and go ugh ugh ugh
*you are wary of strangers- they have to earn a smile. It isn't until you see how Daddy and Mommy act that you open up- and even then they usually only get a close lipped smile, sometimes only a half smile
* you eat almost everything now (except the high allergy foods we avoid and fish). You had corned beef for St Patty's Day, tofu at the sushi restaurant, and you eat a wheat blueberry waffle every day for breakfast
* You are taking pity on Mommy and sleeping like a champ. For about a week now you have been sleeping 8-8:20 and only getting up once between 5-6 to eat.
* You are taking 2 naps a day at about 1 hr 40 mins each
* You are interacting more and enjoying things like gymboree and playgroups
* You love to look out the window, in the mirror, or go outside
* you snuggle up and lay your head on our shoulders if you are real tired- but otherwise you are pretty independant and just want to try to move around and play
* you are perfect and wonderful and the love of our lives


1 month vs 4 months vs 9 months- oh how you have grown!





(his face seems to say 'How many more times do we have to do this Mom!?!')


Fun in the chair! (and evidence of pulling up on it to stand!)






More interested in eating his 9 month sticker than showing it off...

Pulling up!



You are such a happy baby!