Nine Months Old!

Hi Peaches-- I cannot believe you are nine months old! You are changing so quickly and growing so fast--I am excited and sad at the same time. I took you to the pediatrician last week and he deemed you to be "Perfect." You were a champ when you were given shots and charmed the appointment setter, the nurses and the patients in the waiting room.

You are keeping me QUITE busy with your current attachment issues. While it is all well and good if you decide to venture around on your own throughout the house, it is apparently NOT OK for me to attempt to go to the bathroom by myself. Between you and your sister, I am estimating that I will not be taking a crap in peace until roughly 2010. The years will fly by, I'm sure.

Your smile sometimes takes my breath away, I find it to be just that enchanting. That said, I would appreciate more smiling and less screaming at me. I realize you think that I am cramping your style by closing the door to the bathroom and taking toilet paper out of your mouth, but I want you to experience your first birthday. I'm doing it all for you!

You display QUITE a temper. Frankly, I have no IDEA where it comes from. When Baby Girl steals a toy or book from you, you don't take it. Your anger is amazing. Your father and I are predicting that you are going to be the more aggressive child of the two. We are fairly sure that you will probably beat the crap out of your sister on a regular basis in the near future. We also think that you are going to be the trouble maker, but your sister is always going to be the one to get caught. It will be fun to see if we are right.

We are amazed at how active you are. You are just weeks away from walking--we're sure of it. You have no desire to sit still. What bums me out is that you don't want to cuddle. At all. You also don't want to have your diaper or clothing changed. If you realize that we are holding you down, you fly into a rage. If the bloodcurdling screaming doesn't soon stop, I am sure the neighbors will report us for abuse. Poopy diapers are the most challenging, as I am sure you are aware.

Your eating habits are rapidly changing. You hate having someone feed you and you don't appear to like baby food in general, so I am starting to feed you real food. Currently you are surviving on a diet of Cheerios, yogurt, cottage cheese, peas and bananas. Some days you revert to baby food, but only for a couple of bites. Some days you love food, some days you want nothing to do with it. This sort of thing doesn't worry me anymore as you are the second child. I know you will eat when you are hungry.

I've got your Christmas presents already!!! I got you two extension cords (one white, one brown), some flip flops and a huge box of catalogs and magazines. Oh yeah--I got you a remote control too! I know how much you love to chew these things! I can't wait to see the look on your Grandmother's face on Christmas morning when you open those gifts! I think she thought I was joking when I told her what I was getting you! Shhh! Don't spoil the surprise!

I can't wait to watch you over the next month as you continue to grow and make your mark on our family. I am one lucky mama to have such a beautiful and healthy baby!