The next 9 months

After nine months of being in my heart, Amalia has now also been in my arms for a full nine months.

Dear Amalia,

Happy 9 months, sweetie pea!  

You got two teeth this month, the most recent one only poked its tiny little top through a few days ago.  Your very first chompers.  Not that you really needed them for much, as you can chew through anything and refuse any food that isn't exactly what we are eating.  I swear, you can tell when we have something on the table that isn't also on your tray and let us know you notice its absence.

You are so close to crawling, baby.  You can get wherever you want to by flopping yourself around, and just need to figure out how to move the knees as well as the hands.  You started to pull yourself up on furniture, but can only get as far as your knees by yourself.  You love it when somebody helps you to stand up, and will hold on and play for as long as your legs will hold you.

*update* as of yesterday (three days past nine months), you are officially crawling!  Not fast, yet, and I'm not sure you realize how beneficial the new move will be to you, allowing you access to all the non-baby-safe areas of the house, but that day is coming.  Soon.  

For some unknown reason, you love to hold your foot.  When we are nursing, even at night, you grab that little foot and bring it up to your face.  You are quite limber.

You adore your sister, and as it turns out, little kids in general.  Whenever Sofia comes home from school, or even if you just see her again after she's been playing somewhere else, you get the biggest grin and shriek-y laugh.  She adores you right back.  You love to play together, and you are so tolerant, as Sofia's favorite toy always happens to be the one you are playing with.  Though, to be fair, your favorite toy is either what she is playing with or her hair, which you love to grab.   And pull.  Pigtails, ponytails, braids, or just left down, you pull it all.  Perhaps it is hair envy.  Don't worry, girl.  Yours is growing in.

You bring so much joy to our lives.  You are so good-natured and silly and fun to be around.  You like to sing, and say 'ba ba ba' to get us all busting out "Barbara Ann."  Then, you giggle and try to keep the rhythm with your own words.  Sofia and you performed quite the loud rendition during a family outing for Friday Night Fish Fry.  Every time we get to the "please hold my hand" part, you throw your hands in the air.  

You are also quite dramatic.  You have an idea about how things should go, and get quite upset when things don't go how you have them in your head.  Then, you throw fits.  I'm already nervous for your teenage years.  

You can say Mama and Papa and Grandma and Grandpa (though the last three sound suspiciously similar).  You love to imitate and be imitated, peek-a-boo and any book that includes flaps, and playing with toys that look like they might be dangerous.  Cords and beer bottles are your personal favorites.

You are squishy and soft and sweet and wonderful and funny and beautiful and loving and a million other adjectives.  I love you, little monkey.

Loveforeverandalways,
Mama