A Letter: Nine Months

Dear Bug,

You are three-quarters of the way toward turning one. That makes you nine months old. Nine! When did that happen? I have a newfound understanding and appreciation of "Blink and you'll miss it," that's for sure.

As always, you are in quite the hurry to grow up. (FYI, if you'd like to slow down any day now, I would be okay with that decision.) As of your nine month birthday, you have five teeth and can cruise the furniture one-handed with ease. You do the sit, squat, stand combination without a second thought. You pull up on anything you can get a hand on - especially Mommy and Daddy's legs when we're in the kitchen. You are obsessed with taking toys with you, not just playing with them on the floor. You bend down, pick one up, and then stand or cruise with it, showing it to me with a huge smile on your face. You've also started "sharing" - you like to hand things to us and then take them back.

You also can walk a few steps by yourself. I'm not sure if it counts as walking because it's more like stepping - you mostly go from item to item with a step or two. But sometimes you let go and step toward me! Then you get really excited "OMYGOSH I'M WALKING!," take a few twinkle-toe steps, and then either sit down or lunge forward into my awaiting arms. We both squeal with glee and pride and celebrate with a big bear hug. It's amazingly adorable.

Speaking of adorable, little Bug, you just love to dance. Music or no, you bounce up and down to your own little Goobie-drum. If we say "Dance! Dance!" you grin and bop, cooing away. You also love to dance with Mommy. We swing and spin and bounce around the living room, and the ensuing squeals, smiles and singing melt my heart. Pure joy exudes from your tiny body when you hear music. You sing along when you like what you hear, it calms you when you're fussy, and makes you smile when you're bored. You snuggle when I sing to you, and clap along to your song. I hope this young love of music sticks with you forever.

Every new thing you do astounds me, but this month your ability to communicate with us has grown leaps and bounds. For the past few months, your Daddy and I have been signing basic things to you (please, thank you, drink, milk, etc.) in addition to using a smattering of Spanglish. Basically, if we know the word, we use the English and Spanish versions when speaking to you. Your ability to understand and comprehend all three languages has become obvious. If we ask for "besos (kisses)", you lean in and lay on a big smacker. If we sign "drink" or "water", you look and grab for your cup. You also seem to understand other people's emotions as well - if we laugh, you laugh and if you hear yelling (such as when your Daddy yells at the TV during sports), you are not a fan. You definitely prefer having happy people surround you!

Not only do you react to emotions and questions and respond in kind with body language, you have also begun to sign back. Your favorite is your version of "Come here!" You like to crawl away, turn around and tell us to come here (it's a cross of "Come" and "Want" with one hand instead of two.) We sneak over and give you a big kiss so you squeal with glee, then you crawl away to do the same thing again and again. It's a fabulous game. 

The signing is beneficial for you to express your distaste for something as well; while your Lolla was watching you at the beginning of this month, you became quite annoyed (i.e. angry as a hellcat) that she was trying to give you milk in a cup. How dare she! Apparently you screamed your little head off, cried big old crocodile tears, signed milk, pinched the nipple and FLICKED the bottle. You stinker! Were you a bit offended, Bug? Thankfully, Lolla was prepared with some water and little bites of sausage to hold you over until I got home.

Separation anxiety has arrived in full force this month as well. You aren't too bad in the morning but toward the late afternoon, you don't want to have anything to do with anyone but Mom and Dad. If you're really tired, it's Mom or nobody. Sometimes at bedtime, Daddy even has to follow me around while I get ready because you scream when I leave your sight. The only benefit to separation anxiety is that, despite your ability to get somewhere quite quickly, you are generally thrilled to stay nearby. We obviously still have to keep an eye on you (dog food and bowls are huge temptations), but even when you bear-crawl-sprint across the dining room, you only go about ten yards before checking in.  

Buggie, you are such a joy. I've said time and time again that I love watching you meet each of your milestones, but it's the little things that really make me glow. The constant babble in the background, the slap-slap as I hear you "sprint" across the room, feeling you come up behind me and hold my legs while I cook - it's all more than my heart can handle. I never thought these would be the times I cherish as a parent, but they are. Each time you bury your face in my shirt when someone leans in to give you a kiss, I swell. Each time you pants me in the kitchen, I giggle a little harder. Every time you grin and say "Bop-bop-bop-bop!", I say it right back because it never gets old. 

You are my sunshine, little Bug, my only sunshine.

Until next month,
Momma

Nine month stats...
Weight: Approximately 20 pounds
Clothing Size: Mostly 9 months
New Nicknames: Twinkle toes, sweetness, little dancer, dancing Goob. Goob and Bug have stuck like glue, thus lots of variations on both.
Favorites: "Bop-bop-bop-bop", singing, dancing


Nine Month Milestones...
10/24: Stood up from a sit, not holding on to anything
11/3: Signed milk
11/7: Third tooth, upper left front
11/8: "Dada"
11/13: Can walk holding onto one finger
11/20: Walks item to item, two steps by yourself!
11/20 (guess): Fourth tooth. upper left lateral incisor
11/23: Fifth tooth, upper right front