9 Months Old

 

Well, Miss Ava Grace, I had all intentions of posting this almost two weeks ago when you actually turned nine months old, but a thing called life happened. And if I were to impart some kind of wisdom/insight to you at nine months, it would be that life does not always go as planned. People get sick, work has deadlines and the ten loads of laundry call your name. But not to be Debbie Downer on you because sometimes life calls you to chase your crawling kids around the living room or snuggle with your four year old for a few minutes of cartoon watching.

I still don't want to miss documenting the past month of your life because with each passing month, you get a little taller, a little funnier, and a whole lot cuter. If last month was a month of firsts, then this month was time for your personality to really shine Miss Ava Grace. We call you a "mess" with the sweetest of intentions. It just means that you are really, really funny to us. You scrunch your nose up when you smile and sometimes can hardly contain yourself when you "dance." You get those little legs to going up and down in what I call your squats.

 

You have been "helping" me in the kitchen. Mostly, I give you a bowl and some measuring spoons and that occupied for awhile until you found the fun game of looking at yourself in the reflection on the oven. That's not such a "hot" thing to do little missy. "No" is a word you have been hearing frequently this past month. You must like it because we have to say it to you often. Like your daddy says, you don't know the subtle meaning of "no" just yet but you are learning. 

You tend to give your brother one of two looks. Either your face lights up or you give him this "what are you doing?" kind of look. He simply adores you.Yesterday he kept saying, "Mama, take our picture."

You have become quite vocal although I don't know that you connect "Mama" and "Dada" to anything in particular. I looked down today and you had pulled yourself up by holding on to my pant leg with one hand. Crawling seems second nature to you but you do it without allowing your knees to touch the ground. It's so sweet to watch you sleep. The thumb is a certain must and if I'm holding you, you reach up and hold onto my hair. If you are in your bed you hold on to your rabbit's ear.

 

At your doctor's appointment, you weighed 16 pounds and 6 ounces (11%) and were 27.5 inches long (50%). I wasn't surprised that percentage-wise your weight had gone down since you are so active, but it was surprising that your height went from the 95% to 50%. The doctor said you could have been going through a growth spurt last time.

Finger foods make it to your mouth very quickly especially cheese. Meats were something we added to your diet this month and you are new friends with the sippy cup although all you do is chew on it.

Life just keeps getting a little busier and a lot lovelier with you around. We love you so dearly Ava Grace. ~ Mama