9 months

Yaaaaayyyyy Boone!

That's what we've started saying this month as we clap for you when you accomplish something, and boy, do you love it!

This month has been momentous! Where to begin...

It started with Mom and Dad leaving you for TEN DAYS to take a trip to Hawaii for an orthodontic convention. I cried so hard all day long before we had to leave you that I literally made myself sick with a head cold and was completely congested with a headache the first half of the trip. :) You split the time between your grandparents and were thoroughly spoiled the entire time we were away. We had a great time but missed you so much I could physically feel my heart aching. Coming home from a vacation is never easy, but it was actually fun this time, knowing you were at the other end. When we arrived back to our house you were taking your morning nap. As soon as you woke up, we came in to get you from your crib, and we were rewarded with one of the biggest smiles I've seen yet. That image is something I'll never forget!

While we were away, you became an expert crawler. Never would have guessed it, but the ability to crawl has given you an entirely different demeanor! Some parents bemoan the achievement of crawling, as it requires a baby-proofed home and even more constant supervision. Not us! Now that you can crawl, you are sooooo much happier! Most of your fussy whines and loud demands over the past months were born out of frustration and boredom. Now that you can successfully move yourself, you can entertain yourself! Crawling has made you a much more pleasant baby to be around. :)

Another welcome change is your ability to reach for us! It's so fun and melts our hearts. I've yet to say no to you when your little arms go over your head in my direction. I think you're smart enough to know you're milking it but I don't care. I'll pick you up as long as I can, knowing these days of holding you won't last forever. You've also been a little more clingy, a little more cuddly and a little more prone to separation-anxiety when I leave the room. These first expressions of your trust in us and your love for us are amazing to witness.

No teeth yet, but we've started you on really soft finger foods, like cheese, small pieces of soft bread, avocado covered in wheat germ. Although most of the morsels never make it to your mouth, you're getting better every time you practice. Your palate has expanded with several new foods this month: beets, hardboiled egg yolks, russet potatoes, cherries, peaches, turkey. I'm still making all of your food and freezing it into ice cubes, a system that is working out great so far.

You're out of size 2 diapers and onto size 3. We've also started putting you in overnight diapers because, guess what... you're finally, finally, finally sleeping through the night! Like from 7:30-8ish until 6:30-7ish. No more middle-of-the-night pacifier requests. Hooray! Yaaaayyyy Boone! We dropped your third (4 o'clock) nap and so now you have two fairly solid snoozes every day, the first at 9 a.m. (usually 1.5 hrs) and the second at 1 p.m. (1 to 1.5 hrs).

Your 9 month doctor's visit is later this week, so I'm not sure of your current stats, but the last I checked you were around 18 pounds. While in Hawaii, you outgrew your baby tub (sniff, sniff) and are sitting in the big bathtub now. You can't kick your legs like you used to, but instead you can splash your hands. Most baths end up with you, me and the floor sopping wet. It's great!

Last weekend we took a short trip to Colorado - your first time to the mountains! We stayed at the cabin in Buena Vista with your buddy Raef and a lot of other family friends in order to attend the big bunkhouse reveal and dedication to your Pops. You had a great time the day we were there but the car rides were extremely long and tiring for all of us. Ten hours in the car both ways was a lot for you (and us) to handle! It didn't help much that you had a terrible cold with severe congestion the whole trip. You could hardly breathe, so we had to introduce you to the infamous nose sucker contraption and I haven't heard you scream like that since you had colic. But somehow we all survived. :)

Your little personality is already so defined, sweetheart. You feel things deeply. You are either completely happy or completely upset, there is zero in-between with you! Lately you've started joking around and "fake laughing" - looking at us and grinning and then making noises that sound like little coughs. You do it all the time - it's hilarious and usually it makes us genuinely laugh which in turns start you genuinely laughing and then we all have a good time together.

Oh, and as seen in the pictures, you can pull yourself up to a stand. No stepping yet, but I'm sure that's coming soon.

You continue to bring joy to our days and light to our lives. Love you lots, little dude.