Happy 9 Months (and Two Days) Gemma!

Happy 9 Months my Beautiful Bundle!

This month has been an exciting one. You took your very first Waterbabies class.

Finally got a big girl carseat (still rearfacing of course!)

And you have started to eat lots of real food.

You are growing, growing, growing, but as much as Mama likes to (publicly) whine about the passing of time, the older you get the more fun we seem to have. Waterbabies was so much fun for us both. You never cried, at all. You seemed to have a lot of fun with it. Every so often you would pause from your smiles to take it all in. That is very "you" though, observing and taking it all in. This trait is one I admire and hope to learn from, as it is so different from how I am.

The car seat stuff was not so exciting for you maybe (besides the fact that your new seat is super cushy,) but for me, it was definitely an, "I'm a mama," ordeal. I don't know when the last time was that I spent sooo much time agonizing over a purchase. I mean, I agonize a LOT but this...you're life literally depended on it (shoot, I am being overly dramatic again,) so I had to find the perfect seat for us. I mean you.

While car seat business wasn't so exciting for you, trying new foods has been. I have finally started to introduce you to lots of different finger foods and you love, love, LOVE it. Well, you love it when I cut the pieces to a size that is actually big enough for you to pick up ;) We celebrated your 9 month birthday with bits of lasagna for lunch. Pretty sweet, right?

As far as the usual stuff, that I like to take note of monthly:

I have just started getting you to take naps in your CRIB. Of all places. It is going pretty well, but I am not going to say much else in fear that I will jinx myself.

We still co-sleep at night, and you are generally down from about 10-7, when you will eat a bit and then wake again anywhere from 8-10. Not bad at all, right?

You still aren't crawling, but you are finally making motions like you are trying to figure it out. I worry a little, but I don't think there is anything "wrong"...I am just impatient.

You babble constantly and have learned the words bye bye, and dog (with a silent g). Those are the only words that I am certain that you understand the meaning of.

We have had a bit of a weight setback this month, at one point, you were down to 16 pounds and 1 ounce. You have been eating much better though, so I would imagine that will go up quite a bit by your appointment on the 9th of June.

You wear size 3 diapers still. Your clothes are a mixture of 6-12 months, 9 months, and 12 months depending. Most of the 12 month stuff is a little big, but I am sure it won't be long.

I hate to admit this but I think your hair is growing in BLONDE not that I have anything against blondes, but I was really hoping you would have dark hair like my own. Maybe one day, right?

Your eyes are still a funky brown, and still, you have only your 2 bottom teeth.

You bring so much love and joy to me and our extended family. You really are the moon and the stars to me, and a lot of people. No matter where life takes us, I want you to know that you are as loved as any little girl possibly could be.

And then some.

Forever and always,

Mama

(this picture makes me soooooo happy.)