9 Months

Look - it's a Jack-in-the-Box!

Dear Jack -

How can you already be 9 months old? And how has it ONLY been 9 months? I know, I say that all the time. Seriously, though, I catch a glimpse of you out of the corner of my eye and you already look like a preschooler (mainly because you're taller than most 18 month olds!).

Dr. Nancy was thrilled at your progress at your recent check-up, and who wouldn't be? You showed off your pulling-up-to-standing and cruising skills, all the while giggling and laughing and being adorable. You clock in at an amazing 97 percentile for height (30 1/2 inches) while maintaining a steady 40 percentile for weight (19 lbs 13 oz). For comparison sake, your chunky monkey brother was rocking the 75 percentile for height AND weight at this age (29 inches and 22 lbs 3 oz).

We aren't fooled by your lighter weight - you are a champion eater, just like your big brother. You've happily sampled a wide variety of fruits, including apples, peaches, nectarines, plums, watermelon, mashed blueberries, pears, kiwi, mangoes, bananas, apricots, cherries, and rehydrated Craisins. Veggies are just as popular, with peas, sweet potatoes, green beans and carrots ranking high. You were a little hesitant with asparagus, and I honestly can't blame you -it is an acquired taste. Your brother shares pieces of his scrambled egg and bunny graham crackers (and attempts to share whole dried apricots, almonds, and other snacks that your little chompers aren't quite ready for).

You have four big pearly teeth, with #5 and #6 just peeking out of your upper gums. You are a first-class drooler when you're working on pushing those bad boys out, and nothing is off-limits to chew on to relieve the pressure (much to Ryan's dismay when you appropriate his toy screwdrivers and big plastic screws).

When your gums take a rest, the rest of you also gets a rest. You've slept through the night four nights in the last two weeks, and most of the other nights you just needed a bink repositioned and you were out like a light again. It's not as much fun to bring you into our bed at night anymore, as you are a restless sleeper who tends to kick me in the face (you manage to scootch all the way to the top of the mattress). As we have thin bamboo slat blinds in our room, you're awake as soon as the sun appears, which makes for a long day for Mama.

Your naps are pretty consistent - you're down around 9 am and usually sleep an hour and a half, which then gives us a couple of hours mid-day to run errands or to meet Jena, David and Baby Andrew for lunch before you and Ryan both go down for your afternoon nap. Of course, the better you sleep the happier you are (and you're pretty darn happy most of the time).

You're very expressive, though you haven't formed any recognizable words yet (and who can get a word in edgewise with Mighty Ryan narrating the world around him non-stop?) but you carry on little private conversations with yourself, your toys, the cat... I try to sign with you when I remember (since your brother started talking the day we enrolled in baby sign language, I gotta get my money's worth somehow!) and you have "more" down solid.

You are an adventurer, a charmer, the life of the party constantly on the go. You keep me young (while making me old) and we are so thankful to have you in our family. I can't wait to see what amazing strides you make (literally and figuratively) in the coming months and years!

All my love,
Mama