Nine Months

Dear Ethan,

You have now been an outside baby for longer than you were an inside baby. As you inch nearer to your first birthday, I want to cuddle you up and keep you little forever, but I know you'd just grin at me and wiggle away. You certainly have your own personality, and, even though you aren't speaking clearly yet, you let us know exactly what you want and don't want. If we dare to take away a toy you're playing with, you shriek and grab after us. And if we're taking too long to pick you up, you make sure we come running. But you also let us know when you're happy with peals of laughter and a huge smile that shows off your increasing number of teeth. You're also growing more and more independent, playing by yourself while I clean, cook, and, yes, even blog. Just a few months ago, I couldn't have written an entry like this unless you were asleep on my chest! And now you're crawling around on the floor beneath me, standing up underneath the desk and exploring your world.

You can get just about anywhere you desire now. From climbing stairs to standing up on your tip-toes, it's more and more difficult to keep things out of your reach. You open drawers and cabinets with ease, making me realize we may need to baby-proof more things than I ever imagined! You love to play with your toys, especially trucks, books, and balls. You crawl around with a ball in your mouth, as if you were a dog, stopping periodically to replace it when it falls out. In short, you're too adorable for words!

And after a brief Ferber refresher a couple of weeks ago, you're still sleeping wonderfully! You go down around 8 PM and don't wake up until 6:30-7 AM, meaning your mommy is finally getting the sleep she (day)dreamed of, too. You haven't decided how many naps you want to take just yet, usually still preferring three instead of two. And to think, your mommy had stopped napping entirely when she was four months younger than you!

Every day, I fall more and more in love with you. I kiss your cheeks and forehead, remembering how tiny they used to be. I hold your wiggling body in my arms and remember when you could barely hold your head up. I stare at your toothy grin and remember those first glimpses of a smile. As much as I wish you would always remain my little baby, I cannot wait to see what comes next!

Love,
Mommy