9 months old!

Dear sweet little Eli,

You are becoming such a big boy!  You are an absolute joy and we are loving every second with you.  You have had such a big month -- I hope I can remember it all here!

Chair pic was a STRUGGLE this month!

You are a sweet, sweet boy, extremely curious and active, and you love people!  Well, you love being around people, but when strangers talk to you, you just stare back at them!  Not even a smile!  But, generally you love being around friends and family... especially if they are all loving on you and passing you around!  You are moderately shy when you see people for the first time in a while, but warm up to them fairly quickly.

Please note Bill's "hat picture" behind his right shoulder.  Eli will have one just like that when he's 5!  Wasn't he cute!

You are roughly 19 pounds (you were 19.2 today) and were 28.5 inches at your last appointment.  You wear 6-12 month clothes and mostly 12 mo PJs.  Your aunt Tia got you some 6-12 month jeans from The Gap, and your second cousin Kelley got you some cargos from The Gap, and I'm obsessed with both.  They are just so adorable!  I'm finding that I'm a bit over onesies and love putting you in just pants and a teeshirt!  You are SOO squirmy... I usually have to finish snapping snaps once you are standing or playing.  I also have to chase you with diapers!  I rarely use the changing table anymore because you are so active.  Sometimes you help out by showing off a new trick - you raise your legs for me when I say "It's diaper time!"  HA!  You pull your legs up and play with your toes!  It's very helpful and I thank you often for this little trick!  :)

Your tongue has been out of your mouth a lot this month.  I'm not sure why, but it's super goofy.  Hoping this phase passes quickly - it's not exactly the best first impression.  ;)

You are a great eater -- you eat 3 meals a day.  You prefer diced finger food these days.  Sometimes I can trick you into eating from a spoon, but you are happiest when I put food in front of you and let you go at it!  You are quite proficient at feeding yourself, which makes lunch time fun for me as I can eat my own lunch and watch you!  You feed yourself most meals these days!  You prefer cooked peas, green beans (canned, rinsed), and roasted butternut squash (still your favorite!), pieces of bananas and diced fresh pears.  We have added the occasional fish stick or chicken finger cut into small pieces.  You love both!  You still love yogurt, but we have slowed on giving you so much as it seemed to affect your regularity.  :)  You're welcome for sharing that little piece of info.  ;)  We tried little chicken weiners (?) and I gagged.  You handled them OK, but I could tell you didn't love them, and I definitely didn't, so I imagine it will be a while before we try those again.  You are a pro at using your sippy cup and drink water with each meal. 

You nurse 4 times a day.  Typically, during the work week, you nurse when you wake up, and then I pump the two day feedings and give you bottles, and then you nurse before bed.  Lately, we have been nursing rather than pumping.  I'm starting to run low on my supply of frozen milk, so I think we are going to introduce a formula bottle every day and I'm going to drop an afternoon pumping.   When you do get bottles, you drink between 6-8 ounces at each feeding.  You also respond to the sign for milk, and you get excited when it's time to eat and I make that sign!

Rare precious moment of holding my sleeping baby after nursing.

You are SOOOO much fun to play with these days!  I seriously am a huge dork and play with you in some fashion most of the time you're awake.  We play peek a boo a lot -- it's your favorite.  You even play with me sometimes by covering your face with the burp cloth and then pulling it down and looking at me with smiley eyes.  Of course, I play along by saying "Peek-a-boo!"  Sometimes all it takes is me looking at you quickly... tonight we were shopping and I'd turn my back to you, then quickly whip my head around... you were laughing so hard!  I couldn't stop...  I think we exhausted each other!  You are just such a joy - I love every minute with you!  I guess I should mention that you are bit of a daddy's boy.... you are still such a huge fan of your daddy!  and... I LOVE that!

Goobers being goobers

Oh!  You also started clapping this month and will clap on queue pretty well.  If we say "Clap, clap, clap" or "Yayyy" you will start clapping.  You also give high 5s.  Well, I guess they're just "5s".  If we say "Gimme 5" and hold our hand out, you'll start clapping it.  It's so cute!  We're working on waving and blowing kisses.  Sometimes I think you wave, but we can't do that one on command yet.  You love showing off your tricks!

Yayyyyyyy!

You have 6 teeth now and have at least one more coming very soon.  You are such a goof ball - you have a toothy little grin you have started doing, along with a really goofy laugh.  I just die every time you do it!

Love this goofy grin of yours!

You are still a great sleeper, for which I should thank you!  You sleep from 7/7:30 - 7:30 every night and take 2 - 2 hr naps during the day.  Your napping is getting a little off schedule lately because you typically crawl, sit, and stand before falling asleep - all while laughing and talking to yourself.  Sometimes this can last up to 45 minutes!  I watch you creeping around your bed in the video monitor - it's almost like you are trying to wear yourself out before sleeping!

Squishing your face during naptime.  I couldn't resist taking the pic!

We did Albuterol treatments for a few days this month to help with your cough.  Sometimes you would get a little wheezy, which made this asthma-suffering mom of yours a little nervous!  I'm still praying that your wheezing was the result of a cough and not something you'll have to battle later!  Unfortunately, with this little cough, you have started a small fake cough.  I can't help but laugh when you do it, which only encourages you!  I really should stop... it's just too funny!

You had a wonderful Christmas with family!  You were so wonderful through all the festivities.  You received several new toys, but your favorites are your new phone from Grammy and Pops, your John Deere push/ride toy and barking doggy from Papa and Grandma, and your new drum from mom & dad.  We took your jumperoo down this month, which ended up being perfect timing for some new additions!  You love standing up and will even push your little toys around on your own.

Christmas morning joy!

Big boy on his new tractor!

There is never a dull moment with you and I love it that way.  You are full of life!  I thank God for you every day.

Love you, my little man,

Mom