NINE months..

Dear Gage,

Nine months ago, on November 14th at this time you were only a few hours old and we were watching a fball game with Daddy.  Wow....how the time flies.  (I think this is said in every letter to you, but it is true- babies grow up SO fast.)  The summer is winding down and we have one last beach vacation before Mommy has to go back to work and you have to start at daycare.  We think we have found a good one for you and hope that our choice is the one that suits you best.  It is SO hard to leave you this time though.  Last time we started daycare we only had to do without each other's company for 4 months...this time it's much longer.

You have been mobile now for a little more than a month and are still one arm army crawling.  It seems to get you where you want to go so you figure, why change it?  You are now starting to get up on your knees though, but just for a few seconds at a time. You haven't quite figured out how to get yourself up to a sitting position but you are experimenting in different ways and will figure it out soon.  You have recently taken up dancing to anything that resembles music and love any toy with buttons and music.  You like playing in your tunnel and your new favorite toys are your 'words' book and your telephone.

You get finger foods at every meal now and just in the last few days have figured out how to feed yourself about 80% of the time.  You L.O.V.E graham crackers and kick and squeal when you so much as see the box.  (We're getting a video of this soon b/c it's hysterical.)  You love yogurt and are starting to experiment with some new foods.  A few weeks ago you were eating SO much solid food that you weren't too excited about nursing anymore, but we have been rationing you and practicing more finger foods and it seems you are back to your old ways.  You still have no teeth but neither did I 'til I was 10 months.  I'm sure the doctor won't be worried yet.
 
You are beginning to learn to wave and usually wave your whole arm up and down when we say hi or bye.  You did wave bye bye to yourself the other day, although it might have been a fluke.  You reached for the cat the other day and said plain as day 'ccaat', but we call them kitty, so we know that was just by accident, although a pretty amazing one.  Your new obsession is outlets and cords, or anything else you aren't supposed to have. 

You LOATHE diaper changes now and won't lay on your back long enough for us to change you.  You whimper and cry and lately it's been a big mess.  (This is one of the 1st ongoing frustrations I have had with you.)  We have completed swim lessons and you love being in the water.  You weren't too thrilled about the 'scooping' part but you were a good sport.  We still hang out w/ Sawyer and his Mommy every week.

We aren't quite sure what you weigh right now, we'll have more to report after we see the dr. on Wednesday but you are wearing clothes made for exactly your size.  You do wear big boy PJ's now and have gotten a big boy car seat in time for the long trek to the beach next week.  Daddy and I bought you tons of new clothes last weekend but we are certain your legs will never be long enough to wear 12 month pants.  You are like your Daddy w/ your short legs.  After much deliberation we have decided you will probably be a lobster for Halloween.  You are going to be SOO cute.

As we head out of the summer and into the Fall, I try to be thankful for all of the time this summer that I have gotten to spend with you.  We have had so much fun and you are at such a fun age.  I will be sad to leave you at daycare but I know that it will be good for you to hang out with other kids your age.  You will be just about in the middle age range of your class and won't have to switch rooms until March of next year.  Every day when I kiss and snuggle with you, I try to drink it up and not take anything for granted.  We love you soo  much and are so lucky to have been blessed with such a special sweet boy.  (Will I still be saying this 13 years from now?)  ha...we will see.  I am sure that so much will happen in the next month with routine changes, etc.  For now, I will enjoy the last 2 weeks I have with you and cherish every moment.  We love you, Stink. 

Happy 9 months!
Love, Momma

Gage in his new La-z-Boy.