9 months old

Avery, today you are a whopping 9 months old! We woke up this morning (all in the same bed because that's where you end up every night) and at 8:22 a.m. I said to you, "9 months ago at this time I was sitting in a hospital bed hooked up to machines, waiting on you to come!" Your daddy said, "And little did we know how crazy you were going to be. We should've left you in there." Thank goodness we didn't!

What have you been up to this month? Well, let's see...

*Your 9 month check up is this Friday, so we'll see how much you weigh and measure for sure, but I'm guessing you weigh 20 lbs and 7 oz, and measure 28 inches long.

*Your 9 months clothes still fit, except the pants give you an awful muffin top. I'm quite sure it's time to start buying you 9-12 months clothes.

*You still wear a size 3 diaper.

*We have upgraded you to a big girl car seat now. The old carrier wasn't big enough for your arms to go through the straps without us contorting and weaving them through! You have a Britax car seat that still faces backwards, but will turn to the front when it's time. I like you facing back for as long as you can because it's much safer.

*Motrin and Orajel have become our good friends due to your teething. You only have two bottom teeth and I haven't seen anymore cut through yet, but I don't think they're far behind.

*You don't drool when you teethe, you get a runny nose instead.

*Your favorite things to teethe on are my car keys, Blackberry phone, and my watch. You have expensive taste.

*As far as eating, I am still nursing you...but you have ventured out into new baby food fruits and table food. A month ago, I started putting Gerber Puffs on your tray. It took you an entire week to figure out that you are supposed to eat them and not play with them. I was so proud of you the first day you ate 5 whole Puffs all by yourself:) Haha.

*You LOVE cheese, and will eat about 1/2 slice a day. It's just something different for you to pick up off your tray instead of those Puffs. You've also tried green beans, mashed potatoes, bread, and bananas. You still don't like many of the baby fruits and your favorite food of all is oatmeal.

*You're an awful sleeper. You take a good nap around 11:00 a.m. every day that lasts anywhere from 1-2 hours. Some time in the afternoon, around 3 or 4 p.m., you'll take another shorter nap. You still go to bed around 9:00 p.m., but wake up crying at 11:30 every night ready to get in the bed with us. I just don't have the energy, discipline, or heart to let you cry it out to stay in your crib. I know I'll regret it one day, but for now, we are all sleeping and are all happy!

*New sounds are coming out of your mouth...like "Da-Da", "Ba-Ba", you've even said "Ma-Ma" when you were upset a few times, but I know you weren't talking to me:( When you look at Cotton you make "T" sounds and walk towards him. Maybe it's because I enunciate his name to you and say, "coTTon", instead of "Cot'n"

*You're such a flirt and manipulator. When men, boys, whatever you want to call them....look at you and try to get you to smile, you will hide your face in my shoulder, and then peek back at them with a smile. What's up with that, child? You're a little too young to start all that.

*However, a woman who is a complete stranger will hold her hands out for you and you will reach into her arms and let her hold you. I'm fine with that...but I just hope you aren't 'flirting' with the boys and are really just shy around them! That's a good thing!

*You are gaining more body control and can balance for a while without holding onto anything. You actually crawled two steps the other day, and then that was it! I think you'll walk before you crawl. You love to run around the house in your walker with your arms flailing in the air, screaming to the top of your lungs. Your daddy says, "There's a crazy person in our house!"

*Every day is better than the last and you are becoming so much fun to be around. We love to hear you laugh and watch you discover new things around you. The past 9 months have been the best 9 months of our lives. We love you and Happy 9 Month Birthday Avery Anna.

Avery balances...and crashes.