Milestones: 9 months

• You weigh 18.6lbs, are 27.5" long, and your head is 18" around. You seem to be thinning out a bit in comparison to how you first entered the world, but we think your teeny frame is just perfect.
• You went swimming in Florida. It was technically your third time swimming, but the first time you actually enjoyed it.
• You've started sleeping with your legs tucked under, with your little rump in the air. I love it a lot.
• You are eating like a champ! The past few months was worried that the whole food thing wouldn't work out, but you're getting it! You love baby food pouches and have even tried steak!
• (in a related story)- your poop is getting solid. Never thought I'd long for the days of baby poop, but this is getting to be like real live human poop, and I'm not a fan.
• You are alllllllmost crawling. You can go from sitting to your hands and knees really well, but you struggle to stay up and usually end up on your belly. From there you're starting to scoot and can turn in a circle, but you haven't mastered keeping your knees under to really make you mobile.
• Your hair is getting long! (well, longer at least.) It's very straight- not sure if you'll every have any luck holding a curl, and it's super fine. The color is a bit of a mystery still- it keeps turning more blonde, and it seems like it might stay that way (yay!) but in certain lights it almost has a touch of red. Maybe you inherited some strawberry blonde genes from your G'mi?
• You have been sleeping sooooo great. Seriously, our lives are changed, and I couldn't be more thankful. You've dropped the middle of the night feeding, and don't even wake up to cry in the wee hours. You typically go down for the night around 8:30 and then are up at 5:30 or 6:30. Then will sleep another hour or two.
• You're still so smiley. You have a big big grin with those irresistable dimples, and you love to show off your teeth to everyone you meet. But you also have a serious face that is not to be messed with. You have no problem giving people a skeptical look...as if you don't trust them. But hey- maybe you don't?
• You're not really getting the sign language thing. We keep plugging away, hoping it will click for you someday, but for now it's a one way street. I'm anxious for you to get it, because it would be so nice to understand your needs better. I think you're frustrated at times because you can't communicate what you need, so any tools that help us understand you better would be much appreciated.
• You still say dada the most out of any of your "words". You can do other letters/combos but that's your fav. (Mama is never even an option.) You still don't connect it with your actual Dad, but that doesn't mean you don't adore him. When he walks in you're always sooooo excited and want to go to him immediately. 
• You went to daycare without crying for 3 days in a row. You don't love the drop off routine, but you seem to be getting used to it more and more. You happily sat in your high chair with the other kids and even reached out to go to Janet one morning. I had a twinge of sadness that you wanted her over me, but it was fleeting- mostly I'm excited when you're open to going to other people. It gives us more freedom and shows your working on your independence and trust. Oh you're just getting so big!
• You're crawling! You finally did it one day shy of your nine month birthday. You were scooting around a lot but not truly crawling. Then one evening we had you outside on a picnic table and you just tipped forward and off you went. Now we just need to make sure we keep you out of trouble!