9 months

Happy 9 months, Autumn!
Cliche as it is, you are growing up darn quick.

--At your nine month appointment today you weight 19 lb 6 oz (62nd percentile), and were in the 87th percentile for length (27.5 in maybe?). Oh, and you have a big head, but we kind of knew that. I think your head is in the 92nd percentile. Winner.

I love Monkey Bizness, even though mom thinks it's creepy!

--You are so eager to interact with people. Mostly people you already know -- which is a new thing, you used to want everybody to always pay attention to you -- but you'll still put on a show for strangers if they catch you in the right mood. Along the same lines, you love waving at people, clapping, and giving high fives.
--A couple weeks ago you started to give things to people. All sorts of things. You love picking up a toy, examining it, playing with it, and then giving it to someone else (or Wally) to enjoy.
--Even more recently you started sorting through your books, picking one out (somewhat purposefully), handing it to us and then motioning for us to pick you up so we can read to you on our laps. That is pretty awesome.
--You "jump" on command. That seems to be the only word you know receptively. If we say "jump", whether you're in your jumper or not, you go for it.

Blurry pic with my friend Dax

--You take two naps a day (at least 1-2 hours each), and sleep 12-13 hours at night. If we're out and about, and you don't get one or your naps, you're fine with that too. We like this a lot.
--You've been standing without assistance quite a bit more over the past couple weeks, and for much longer periods of time in the past few days. This morning, you didn't realize it, but you were clapping your hands and standing by yourself for well over 30 seconds. You like taking steps holding on to us, or an object, with at least one hand, but I don't think you're that close to walking on your own yet. I'm thinking another month or so, at least...please?


I have my own water park!

--When you are so tired that you don't know what to do with yourself, you crawl around saying, "mama mama mama mama". Sometimes you crawl to me when you're saying that, but you'll also crawl to your dad, or anyone else who might pick you up, feed you a bottle, and put you to sleep. Other than that, you don't seem to have any interest in saying anything that real people can understand.
--You're wearing mostly 9 and 12 month clothes, and size 3 diapers.
--You're laughing a lot. When you see something, or somewhere new, and you like what you see, you'll chuckle for like 10 minutes. It's like you're in disbelief that you actually get to be in this awesome new place. Most recently this happened at your friend Dax's house. He has a really sweet play room with millions of toys. Today it happened at the doctor's office. Only two toys, but somehow just as cool?
--You have tiny feet, and short legs. We've decided that you're not as chunky as we had thought - but your shirts don't cover your belly because you are all torso. I also think the reason you haven't taken off running yet is because of your size 2 feet. It'd be hard to hold up 19.5 pounds on those little guys.

And now for my hurried attempt at a 9-month photo shoot. My excuse for not measuring up to my dad's photography skills is that it was about to rain, so I was rushed...and I'm not retired, I have things to do.