9 Months Old!

Dear Cohen,

I think the months keep passing quicker than the last! You are now nine months old and as sweet and chubby as ever! Well, maybe not quite as chubby... you are now in the 68th percentile (instead of 85th) for weight at 21.5 pounds and in the 77th percentile (instead of 93rd) for length at 29 inches. Your head circumference is 17.9 inches which is in the 58th percentile, a good size for your body. Not top heavy! :)

Everyday you make me laugh with all of your many random quirks. You started learning how to feed yourself and have really fallen in love with Cheerios! Instead of picking up each Cheerio with your fingers you would lean forward and place your mouth on the tray and try to lick up the Cheerio! Maybe Izzy is rubbing off on you too much, but I thought you were being very resourceful. You also love seeing your reflection in a window or a mirror and you smile, blow bubbles, kiss and laugh at yourself. I think you recognize yourself in pictures now and you seem to be impressed with how adorable you are. You love to read books and your favorite foods right now are green beans, cheese and yogurt (that I sneak baby cereal into since you never have taken to it.) I love when you give me kisses by opening your mouth wide and rubbing your mouth back and forth on my cheek or chin while saying, "Aaahh!" You just started doing my most favorite thing! The other morning I was up with you early and I was cradling you in my arms and you started mumbling "Mom, Mamam..." It was the best feeling and sweetest thing I have ever heard, thank you...
Unfortunately, this week you had a mild fever that lasted a few days. We both have been really fortunate with you not getting a cold until this point. It was so sad to see you with aches and pains, you didn't want me to ever put you down and you were restless and whinny for days.
The only other times you haven't felt well was a few months where you had a hard time with your tummy and would randomly throw up everything you had just eaten. I just had to go slow with the solid foods to allow your stomach to figure out how to function properly, but you seem to be doing really well now!
I have really been trying to encourage you to crawl and so far you have started pulling yourself along the floor with you hands, but that is only if you absolutely have to. Generally, when you are on your tummy you lay your face on the floor in between your hands and cry which, I don't mean to sound mean, but it is really cute and it always makes me laugh. Most of the time you are just content with sitting up and reaching as far as possible in every direction for toys or you just sit there and wiggle your legs, feet and hands which many people find funny to watch. You love to stand and hold our hands and put one chubby little baby foot in front of another. We walk from room to room throughout our house and you get a little more balanced as we practice! I was really excited when you were sitting in your crib and started to pull yourself up to stand on the bar. You get a little frustrated with trying to decide what to do with your one bent leg, but you seem to be very proud of yourself and you think it is great fun.
Sometimes you chatter and babble and it truly sounds like some alien language that I just don't understand. I can tell that you will be very entertaining once you can speak "our" language. You love to brush your teeth, (or should I say chew on your toothbrush and then throw it on the ground). You are a really cuddly baby and just melt into me when I carry you around. You are experimenting with cause and effect and you love to drop things on the floor now. You seem to know when it will make a loud "clunk" and before it even hits the ground you flinch and squint your eyes! You love your pal Izzy and you are starting to love pulling at her hair. She is a pretty good sport and will just get back at you by stealing one of your toys and running off with it to the backyard. You now find diaper changes and getting dressed a complete waist of your time and show how much you disapprove by complaining loudly and stiffening your limbs every time even though I try and distract you with toys. You also love to point at things, which I find adorable, and you love when I point with you and touch our index fingers together. There are so many little things you do that I love, I could go on for a long time!
This morning I was cleaning the kitchen while you were taking a morning nap and I was looking around our house thinking about how I love that our home is filled with all of your baby stuff! A jumper, walker, high chair, a sippy cup and scattered Cheerios that you had thrown on the floor during breakfast, a box overflowing with toys, books galore, stuffed animals, an activity arch, baby blankets and a burp cloth! And that is just in the front room and kitchen! Our life is so full of the joy that being your mommy and daddy brings.
Happy 9th month to us!

Love,
Mama