Intrepid Murmurings

Nine Months
Dear Emma,
You are nine months old today! That means you have been here with us on the outside as long as you were in....wow! Nine months seems like such a long time, and eighteen seems so much longer, yet I remember when I found out you were in there like it was yesterday! I see little newborns now and can't believe you were once like them. Nowadays you are always alert, awake, and on the move!
You are doing so many new things now, each day is an adventure to see what you will do next. You are interested in everything and like exploring all over the place. When you want to get somewhere, you can barrel across the floor really fast! You particularly like the dog's bone, her water dish, and the dishwasher when its open. It is pointless to pick you up and move you away because you'll be right back there in two seconds flat! You are also pulling up on everything, cruising along the furniture and pushing anything you can around so you can walk behind it.
Another thing you love is playing with your toys, and you know where to find them...the toy box! You stand there eying each thing, grasping at it, reaching to see if you can get it. Sometimes you can, and you pull it out and sit down to play. You also love doing this with the laundry basket -- pulling out socks, shirts, underwear, even pants, though they take a lot of effort! You end up with a big pile of clothes next to you and then you can start pushing the basket around, yahoo!
You are talking a lot now, too. Not words yet, but lots of sounds and babbles that you repeat, repeat, repeat. You like to hear yourself and will just talk as you play, or while you stand, or sit with us at dinner. Right now you are saying lots of da da da's but not to many ma ma ma's anymore. Where'd they go?
In the past few months you got two brand new teeth, and have really started to enjoy eating solid foods! Most of the time, you seem to be a good little eater! Your favorites are brown rice and apricot congee, avocado, and applesauce mixed with anything. Last week you discovered hummus (hold the tahini) and you thought that was great as well (though you didn't like how it felt at first so you tried to eat it right off your tray). This week your Daddy made beef stew and you loved that, as well! Delicious meat! Yummy carrots! Oh, potato, I love you! You are still not a huge fan of plain vegetables, but carrots and zucchini will do just fine. You like picking up little things with your fingers, now, too, like white beans, green peas, freeze dried apricots and cereal.
You are also starting to have a sense of humor and enjoy playing games with us. You think its hilarious when I shake my hair in your face, and you love to splash and play in the tub with me. You have learned how to play "catch" with us, and like throwing or rolling balls back and forth. You love when we respond to you! You are starting to realize how to put things in a container, like blocks, or your little stuffed birdies in their house. You love knocking over block towers, and watching us build them up again for you!
The past month has not been fun in one regard; you and I have had colds for a month! I think we keep getting new ones, just as we recover from the old. This week you have had a nasty cough, that wakes up up and makes you cry at night. Today, you had a fever, and were content to just sit on my lap and nurse or sleep or watch tv. But later on, you felt better and had a good dinner and lots of fun in the bath, so hopefully you are on the mend. It would sure be nice to not be sick for awhile!
Another struggle we have is sleeping, since you still don't like to sleep much! You won't nap unless you are in my arms, still, or if you are in the bed you wake as soon as I have snuck away, it seems. You are getting really good about bedtime, though, and Daddy can get you to sleep in the crib pretty easily. Why won't you let me do that?!? At night, you still wake in the night to nurse, sometimes just a few times, sometimes often. Although last night, you slept for 5 hours straight! That was a record! I am hoping its not just because you are sick, but maybe...
Well, Emma Rae, I love you lots and can't wait to see what the next few months bring. You will be one year old in no time, and that will be amazing! I think you will be learning to walk soon, and that will bring a whole new batch of adventures. I am looking forward to doing lots of fun things with you this spring, and summer, too. There is so much I can't wait to show you, and so much you will be excited to show us, I am sure.
Love, Mama