9 Months

Dear Canon,

You are 9 months old today! You are barreling quickly toward toddlerhood, and I am wishing you would slow down and stay my baby a while longer. You crawl everywhere, pull up and cruise along furniture, and have pushed yourself up to an independent stand a few times. You seem to have a flair for danger and always seek out electrical cords, stairs, and lamps to pull up on. We definitely have to be diligent with baby-proofing with you, which is a whole new world for us after your naturally cautious sister!

Lucky for me, your love for adventure is matched by your love for snuggling. You erupt into a huge smile when you see me pull out a wrap or ask if you want "uppies," and you snuggle right in and patiently wait while I wrap you up. You are a snuggly sleeper, and as much as I look forward to having the bed to just your father and I again, I love having your sweet sleeping head nestled in the crook of my arm and waking up to your smiling face.

You have 6 teeth and 4 more that are days away from cutting through. You like to play with a variety of foods, but mama milk is still your favorite. Scrambled eggs, bean burritos, and a sampling of fruits are your favorite "real foods" to eat. You have started to sign for milk when you want to nurse; your vocabulary otherwise consists of lots of babbling, humming, and laughter.

You adore your big sister and want to do whatever she is doing. You love to bang on the piano, whack at guitar or ukulele strings, and play with blocks, trucks, and play food. Your face lights up when your Daddy walks into the room. You love to chase the dog and cat (they don't like it so much) and watch your sister's goldfish. You practically jump into your babysitter's arms when I drop you off in the morning, and are a beloved fixture in their household. We frequently hear comments like "He must be the happiest baby ever!" or "He's always in a good mood!"

To know you is to love you, Canon. Your happy energy, sense of adventure, and enthusiasm for life add to the vibrancy of our family and our home. You complete our family in ways I couldn't have anticipated, and I am blessed and honored to be your mother.

Love,

Mama