9 Months

It's amazing to me how much babies change in their first year of life. If you think about it, they go from these tiny, helpless creatures, to little toddlers that can walk (sometimes run), eat on their own, communicate (sometimes talking), and they have a personality all their own. This was amazing to me when Parker was a baby....and now it's starting with Andrew.

I think the most life-changing month of a baby's life is the ninth month. Well, at least with my two babies.

Andrew turned 9 months old yesterday. In the past month his life has changed so much.



Andrew has the sweetest personality. He is always smiling. And, if for some reason he's not smiling, you can make him smile simply by getting out the camera, playing peek-a-boo, putting a blanket over his head and saying, "Where's Andrew??", or just putting Parker anywhere near him. Andrew is a happy boy.



My baby is now mobile. He is crawling. And, Andrew is not just crawling a little bit, he is all over the place. Following me into the bathroom, chasing Bella and Parker across the living room, moving all about the kitchen and pulling things out of drawers and cabinets, getting into Parker's toys, dragging out puzzles from under the coffee table...this baby is an explorer and he's not afraid of anything in this house. This has been the cause of all of the baby gates....door locks....and every once in a while, the urge to just leave Andrew in his crib playing happily.







What happens next after crawling? Well, this baby boy (just in the past two days) has learned to pull himself up on tables, chairs, the dishwasher, my legs, and anything else stable enough to hold this 22.5 pound boy. Andrew is a fast learner and I am scared that he is going to be walking before long....



Andrew likes to "chow down", as Parker puts it. But, Andrew doesn't want to mess with that mushy baby food. He wants to eat what we're eating. Some of his recent favorites include: zucchini, bread (any kind of bread), pancakes, cheerios, graham crackers, cooked carrots, apples, bananas, grapes (this mushy inside of the grape), watermelon, and noodles. Andrew likes to eat anything that makes him feel like a big boy!!



Andrew finally has a tooth! It poked through about a week ago, and although it's barely there, we can see it and feel it! Yay for baby teeth!

Did I mention that Andrew loves his brother. In fact, today Parker and Brandon went to the Royals game and Andrew and I had a quiet afternoon at home. Well....all afternoon Andrew was a little off. He didn't want to play, but of course, he didn't want to take a nap...and wouldn't you know, as soon as Parker got home, Andrew started dancing. He jumped up and down on his knees and giggled so much we thought something was wrong with him! He loves his big brother and I do believe the feeling is mutual.



And, have I said how much both of my little guys love their dog? Well, the other day, I found both of them giggling in the living room. They had Bella's chew bone and Andrew was holding it for her while she chewed on the other end. This was making them laugh hysterically! I'm not sure if Bella's whiskers were tickling Andrew's leg or if the tug-of-war with the bone was just too much fun, but they love their Bella Girl. And, just yesterday, we taught Andrew how to make the "dog" noise. We ask him, "Andrew, what does Bella say?" He responds by making his mouth into an "O" shape and grunting like a bark. So much fun!





This ninth month is my favorite. Andrew does something new everyday- whether it's something as big as crawling or something as small as a new sound, it's so much fun to watch this baby of mine transform into a little boy who is full of sweetness.



It just so happens that this is Parker's 47th month of life! Crazy, I know...and, don't think I keep track of these months. I had to multiply 4 by 12 and then subtract one, because yes, Parker's 4th birthday is next month! You all know how amazing I think my Parker is...he is smart, has a wonderful sense of humor, is sweet, helpful with is brother, and just an all-around good little boy, but did you know how tall this kid is?! I didn't realize it until we were outside playing the other night with the neighbors. Well, a few of Parker's neighborhood buddies will be 5 in the next couple of months, and when Parker stood up next to them, he was actually taller!

Just look at how long he is!



And....look at how handsome he is! The girls at preschool need to watch out for this guy! (Parker starts preschool soon!)



I love, love, love watching these two little guys grow up! The best part of parenthood is seeing your babies transform into kids and knowing that you did that. You made these little people into what they are today...you gave them what they needed to become the amazing people they are. And, although everyday is an adventure, I love stopping on the 20th of every month just to take a look into my boy's lives. To see what they've accomplished, how they are changing, and (hopefully) how they haven't changed....with a little hope of them staying little just for a little while longer.