Nine Months

Dear Elisabeth,

This last month you have grown and accomplished so much.  My little dependent baby is slowly transforming into an independent toddler.  I’m torn by this.  I love watching you grow and explore and accomplish tasks you once were not able to, but at the same time I miss our early days together.  The days and nights in the beginning where you needed me for everything and anything.

You have spent just as much time in the outside world now as you did in the protective confines of my belly.  Sometimes I miss your little kicks and nudges through out the day.  It was a time that you were mine and I didn’t have to share or leave you.

The word of the month has been independence.  You are experimenting with exactly how much you need and want.  Recently you have had no desire at all to be spoon fed and only want to do it yourself.  Unfortunately this causes me a lot of stress.  I’m very concerned when I give you normal people food about the size and whether or not you can handle it.  So far you have had bread, sweet potato fries, and zucchini fingers.  You did great with them and excelled far beyond what I expected.  I still worry about choking on an almost daily basis.

You popped out one more tooth bringing your teeth total to four.  Two are on the top and two are on the bottom.  Your toothy grin is even more adorable then your gummy smile was.  I didn’t think it was possible for you to get cuter, but apparently it is.

You not only crawl around now, but you can stand and cruise.  You pull yourself up on everything.  Not only do you pull yourself up, but then you let go of one hand and look over your shoulder.  You are quite the little dare devil and I think it’s taking years off of my life.  I’m a tad over protective and honestly I’m OK with that.  Some days I’ve considered wrapping you in bubble wrap.

Your dad and I assumed that the one step leading in and out of your play room would keep you confined for a while.  WE.WERE.WRONG!  You can navigate that step in both directions.  When you set your mind to something you accomplish it in record time.  We first caught you standing when we went in to get you up in the morning on Christmas Eve.  There you were grinning at your Dad in a full and upright position.  Needless to say we lowered your crib mattress five minutes later.

Speaking of Christmas you had your first one and with it Dad and I got Santa back.  You left cookies and milk out for Santa, and threw carrots on the lawn for the reindeer.  Santa even left you a letter thanking you and asking you to be a good girl again this year.  You loved all the paper and the fabulous crinkly sounds it made when you ripped it.  The whole family came over to celebrate with you.  It was an amazing and exhausting day that I will never forget.

Another spectacular milestone that you hit last month was “talking”.  You’ve been babbling incoherently for a while now, but last month you had your first word.  You looked straight at me and said, “mama”.  At first we chalked this up to a fluke, but then you continued to do it.  You will crawl over to me, try to pull yourself up my leg, and say “mama”, I will leave the room when you do not approve and you’ll yell “mama” after me.  It’s amazing when you do it.  Now we need to learn “dada”.  It will make his Daddy day when you do this.  It will also be the perfect time to ask for that pony.

You also started to have some separation anxiety this month as well.  There are times when you want me and no one else will do.  You’ll cry {even squeak out a real tear}, reach out for me, say ma repeatedly, and only calm down once I am holding you.  I’ll pick you up and you’ll immediately rest your head on my shoulder and make a contented noise.  You have me trained really well.  You’ve never been a particularly cuddly baby so this new trend is kind of nice.

You have grown and changed so much this last month that if you want to slow down this upcoming month I’ll be OK with that.  I keep checking for your pause button and have yet to find it.  It marks one year since I wrote my first letter to you.  I look forward to each and everyone I write.  I continue to cherish every moment with you, and look forward to every second in the future.

Love,

Mommy