9 months!

You are 9 months old today. I can't believe how quickly it has gone. You seem so big. You will sit and play by yourself for a bit, then you'll crawl over and check in with me, and then go back to playing. You have a new vocal noise. It's not quite a word yet, but it's close. It's 2 syllables and both end in "a", but they start with different consonant sounds: yaya, mama, dada, nana, sometimes it's hiya which I think will end up as Kaya. I wouldn't be surprised if "hi" or "kaya" is your first word.

Some other things you've begun doing:
- waving
- giving high-5
- remembering where things are in the house (like dog food bowls. You have sampled Kaya's food. Blech! You don't seem to like it but you keep going back.)
- laughing more when we tickle you - especially your armpits and feet
- waking up at night again (this is not a positive one by the way)
- climbing stairs, but you don't like being taught how to go down
- standing unsupported for 3 seconds or so
- 3 more teeth busted through. You're up to 7 now. You need to break the other one on the bottom. You're not symmetric now.
- playing with other babies and people, as long as it's on your terms
- eating finger foods and a LOT of food
- squirming a lot while nursing (another negative one)
- putting toys back into things like your stacking cups into another cup or your different shapes back into their bucket
- throwing toys then going to get them
- dancing when music plays whether it's from one of your toys, a song on Phineas and Ferb, or ZZ Top.

Kaya has also tried to play with you. I'm not sure what is different about your crawling that has spurred her on, but she thinks you're all set and ready to play: she gets down on her haunches and kind of runs around you as if you were another dog for her to play with.

You've also had a lot of firsts in this past month: bike ride, trip to the beach, playing in the sand, vacation, swim in the pool, trip to the park.

Dad and I love watching you grow and do all these new things. Once you can walk we'll head to the zoo and the park more often. People think you'll be walking soon, but I don't know. I think we'll have to wait until next year for the zoo.

Here's a picture from your first bike ride. Your dad thinks you look very old in the shot. You hate the helmet and constantly try to get it off.