Nine months feels like a significant month, at least to your mama. For nine months, my womb held you, my body nourished you, and you grew inside of me. Your very life depended upon whether or not I drew breath. Now that you are nine months old, you have been alive "outside" of me, so to speak, for as long as you were within.
You are most certainly a mama's boy, at least right now. Oh, I know it will change. I'm not blind, my dearest. Daddy is clearly the more fun parent, and in no time at all, you will be running to him when he comes home from work. But right now, for this moment, you are your mama's boy. You look for me when I'm not in the room, and for the most part, you can't do without me. In the life that we have here, isolated as we are, who can blame you? I am the one whom you are used to the most.
What changes there are in you! You are not crawling, but you are getting closer! Several times now I have seen you get on your knees for a second before falling down again. But no matter. You are getting around pretty well when you are left to yourself on the floor.
You still can't sit up alone. You topple over without light support. I usually sit with you with my legs around you just a bit- enough to give you something to help keep you up, yet with enough wiggle room for you to do what you want to do.
My little man, you and sleep are just not friends. (Or should I say sleep and I are not friends?) We've been letting you cry-it-out for over a week now, and your wake-up times still vary. One night you can make it until just about 4, the next you are up at 11:48. Cry-it-out SHOULD work. It is the ultimate form of sleep-training. I guess the authors of these sleep materials never met you.
Even naps have taken a sour note. Suddenly last week, you started going down crying, waking up crying, and barely getting in a half hour each nap. Your daddy has encouraged me to let go and not stress about it. Just keep giving you the right opportunities, but I cannot MAKE YOU sleep. It simply is what it is.
You have gotten better at eating solids, but you will not try to self-feed. In fact, you don't put much of anything in your mouth with your own hand. I hope this doesn't mean you'll have a delay in this area, as your brother did (and does). I still need to branch out and give you more things to eat... this area is hard for me, I'll admit. I choked a lot when I was a little girl. While I don't recall it, I'm sure it is somewhere in my subconscious. Everyone in my family remembers it, so it must have been a big deal. I've already seen you begin to choke here and there, and so I tend to hold back instead of push you forward in this area.
Your smiles are addictive and contagious, and I often thank the Lord at night before I put you to sleep and tell Him how grateful I am for the light and joy you bring to our house. When you giggle hysterically, my goodness, it is such a delight to my ears.
You are wearing 18-month clothes! Some 12-month things you can get in, but you are better off in the bigger size. You've got four teeth coming in, and such a ridiculously cute smile!
What a big boy you are becoming! Holding you is a wrestling match of sorts. I think you could win any day!
My sweet boy, I love you. Don't grow too fast. One day, you'll be big and strong and helping me bring in the groceries. But for now, please stay my baby.
I love you- always.
Love,
Your mama
And because big brother Caleb loves to watch me take pictures, he gets to sneak in here, too.
