Dear Nicholas,
It’s really hard to believe that you’re already 9 months old today. The time has gone by so quickly, but we have treasured every moment (and I have probably captured just about every moment on camera too).
You are really showing off your big boy skills this month, and you amaze your Daddy and me every day with your curiosity, your memory, and your ability to learn new things. You weigh 20 lbs 8 oz, and you’re 29 ¼ inches long.
You started waving this month. You’ve been making the hand motions for a few months now, but this was the first time that you put it together with people coming and going. You like to do it so much that you often wave indiscriminately, but you definitely understand the concept of waving to say “hi” and “bye-bye”…and you actually do say “hi” and “ba-bye” on occasion [in fact, I just read this blog entry to you and your Daddy out loud, and as I read the word “bye-bye,” you piped up and said “ba-bye”]. It’s amazing to hear those first words come out of your mouth and to realize that, before we know it, you’ll be talking in full sentences. Your teachers at school told us that you’ll sit on the playmat and just wave all day as people come in and out of your room, and you’ll sometimes be so involved with what you’re playing with that you’ll wave to people without even looking up. You’re too cute!
We taught you how to make the “so big” arm motion last week, and it was amazing how quickly you picked this up. You basically picked it up after me showing you a handful of times. Daddy is excited that we can teach you what he calls ‘stupid human tricks,’ so I think it’s on to knucks (fist bumps) next! You learned how to clap yesterday (and now cheer whenever you do something fun or cute), and today you did the sign for ‘more’ for the first time.
Your memory is also amazing now. We have a basket of squirt toys in the bathtub, in the shape of different sea creatures. Your favorite is the yellow coral, and every night when you get in the bath it’s the first thing that you reach for. Once I caught on to this, I started hiding it at the bottom of the basket to see if you’d find it. And you did! You will actually remove each toy individually, picking it up, staring at it, and tossing it to the side until you find your beloved coral. So smart!
You hadn’t really made any signs of wanting to crawl up until last weekend, when you actually got up on your knees all by yourself, without even having something behind you to press your feet up against. But you still prefer standing over being on your knees. If we try to help you to get on your knees, you just straighten your legs, bend at the waist, and end up in downward-facing dog. Maybe you’ll excel at yoga one day! Tonight you made it from your belly to a sitting position for the very first time! Congratulations my little man!
You are still talking up a storm and it’s so much fun to listen to. Sometimes when you’re playing by yourself you just babble in a way that it sounds like you’re putting together full sentences of baby syllables. You still say “dada” all the time, and often call Wingnut “Daddy.”
You’re also very helpful these days. You help us dress you by pulling your shirts over your head and helping to stick your arms out of the arm holes. You also help me flip the pages when I read you books. Maybe it’s the newness of being a first-time mom, but it’s just so cool and amazing to see you catching on to these things.
Food-wise, you’re still struggling a little bit, but we’re making strides. You’re not a huge fan of solid foods, and definitely prefer yogurt or strained foods. But you’ve taken to the Baby Mum-Mum crackers, and today you drank water from a cup. Not a sippy-cup, but a big boy cup! It’s hard to believe what a big boy you’re becoming, but it’s amazing to be a part of it and our love grows for you with every passing day.
Here you are showing off some of your new tricks (and looking as cute as can be):
Here are some fun pictures from this month:
