Dear Addison, 9 months old

Dear Addison,

You turned nine months old over the weekend! My goodness you have had a busy month! I have loved watching you learn so much this month. First you learned how to clap, and boy do you LOVE to clap, and love it when other people clap with you. Then, you started rolling a lot and just last week you learned how to crawl!! Right now, it's more like a cross between a lunge and the worm, but you are mobile and you are so excited to be able to get where you want to go and do what you want to do. Daddy and I are going to have to go out and get some baby gates this weekend since you are already pulling your knees up and sticking your bum in the air. It won't be long before you are doing the text book crawl and we are all running all over the house after you.

This month you tried yogurt and fingerfoods. You absolutely love yogurt and I've been giving it to you every day for lunch. You eat a whole minigo for lunch every day and you can't get enough. You tried Arrowroot cookies this month and it did't take you long to figure out what to do with those. You goober them up quite well and know to suck on them to soften them up before you swallow. You've been eating your Gerber banana flavoured puffs and I was so surprised to see you pick them up one by one before you ate them. You know to chew one at a time, and the dexterity in your fingers is really well developed. There isn't much food that you can't have now, and so far you are not a picky eater. The only things you don't like are peas, white potatoes, and vegetable medley's that have beef in them.

You are saying Mamama and Dadada a lot, and you do a lot of babbling and yelling. You can really get your jumperoo going, but I don't think it will be too long before you outgrow it. You are almost into 12 month clothes, but almost into 18 month sleepers. You know how to take your hats and shoes off and I can't even put them on your head or feet anymore because you take them off immediately.

You have just started sleeping better. You go to sleep at 7pm and you wake up at 11pm and 4am to eat, but you go right back to sleep and don't get up for the day until 7am.

One of my favorite things you are doing right now is exploring texture. You examine everything you can reach and scratch your fingers accross every surface. The look on your face when you are doing it is priceless, like you are investigating with all your concentration. You are getting so involved when you play now too, and you play so hard, especially when you get together with friends. Your best friend is Xavier, you get very excited when you see him, and he gets just as excited to see you too.

I am looking for daycare for you right now, and it is breaking my heart thinking that I will have to trust someone I don't know to take care of you all day. I promise I will do my best to make sure you go somewhere fun, and somewhere that you feel comfortable, and where you will be adored and safe.

My dear girl, no matter what we do, Daddy and I can't find a good way for you to travel. You despise your car seat and you scream and scream until you get out of it. I know it is worse right now because you have to wear a coat, but I don't think you will start liking it until you are front facing, and that means you still have about a year to be miserable back there. I really hope you get over it soon, I hate hearing you cry because you're lonely or uncomfortable.

Your eyes have changed from blue to a beautiful steel gray colour, and your hair is really starting to come in now too. I can see little teeth under your gums on the bottom, and I suspect you will probably have a couple teeth before your first birthday. Speaking of your birthday.. I have already started planning your first birthday party! I cannot wait to see you in your birthday outfit and see what you think of your first piece of cake.

Sweet baby girl, I cannot ever tell you how much you are loved and how much you are enjoyed in our lives. Daddy and I tell you every single day how much we love you, and are fascinated every day how we manage to fall deeper and deeper in love with you every day. Your little personality is so strong and you are so much fun! We feel utterly blessed to have you in our lives.

I love you so much Addison.
I will always be in awe of you.
Love always and forever,
Your Mama
XOXOXOXOXOXOXOX