Dear Baby K - 9 Months

Dear Baby K,

Happy nine-month birthday sweetheart!  I don't have an update on your height and weight because we had to reschedule your appointment until the end of the week.  You've learned a lot of things in the last few weeks, though!

As far as crawling goes, you are making progress!  You still can't quite push back into all fours from your tummy, but if I help you get to all fours, you can push yourself back to sitting. So, now that you know how to do that, your goal is to get out of all fours position by sitting as fast as possible.  You will rock a little bit back and forth if I help you get to all the fours position though.

Just like last month, you prefer to be standing and walking.  You can pull yourself up using our hands and your starting to pull yourself up on the couch but can't quite do it yet.  You can cruise a little bit accross the length of the furniture though!  It's super clumsy, and you fall sometimes, but you can move a little on your own which you like! 

Guess what?!?! You have FOURTH new teeth!  You worked hard for those teeth, little one.  You have two bottom teeth and two canine teeth.  One of the canines are still working on breaking through but it's there!  You're eating mostly finger foods now, except for the pouches which take you 2.5 seconds to suck down. 

 For new foods this month I've given you:

• cut steamed carrots
• cut steamed green beans (with seeds smashed down)
• cut baked sweet potato
• chickpea pasta
• chicken thighs (cut into tiny pieces)
• baby meatloaf 
• cut baked apples with cinnamon and coconut oil 
• muffins with almond flour 

You love mostly anything, but get sick of something if I give it to you too many days in a row.  Guess you aren't quite on the meal prep train yet!

Mommy is still avoiding eggs, dairy, and cashews in her diet. We go back to see the allergist this month.  You are nursing 4-5 times a day, and we just dropped your night nursing session, so you are now sleeping through the night on your own!  During the day we are still following the two nap schedule.  

You are so alert, always looking around trying to see what's going on.  It's neat to see you become a little person.  Every day is filled with the excitement and joy of you learning something new. At the same time my heart aches to stop time because every time you learn something new, a little piece of your babyness goes away.  I'm constantly torn between excitement for when you can do something new (like crawl) and wishing I could stop time.  

New "words" or maybe sounds is a better description, they aren't always super clear but you are trying!

• Mama but you don't say it super consistently 
• E-I-E-I (like Old McDonald)
• Duck 
• Doggy 

You love to:

• hanging out in the carrier with it on my back
• ride in the stroller
• hang out sitting playing with things (on the mat or in the high chair) 
• eat teething crackers or eating in general
• Read books – you still love to turn pages
• chew on stuffed animals 
• hang out bouncing in your bouncer
• Swim in the pool but only when Mommy holds you
• babble babble babble 
• hang out with Missy “it-tee.”

Dislikes:

• when you can see Mommy, but she isn't holding you
• when the stroller isn’t moving
• dressing rooms 

Love you, Baby K!  Can’t wait to see what you do next!

• Dear Baby K – 4 months
• Dear Baby K – 5 Months 
• Dear Baby K – 6 Months
• Dear Baby K — 7 Months 
• Dear Baby K -- 8 Months