Catchup: Nine Months

December 23:

Dear Finn,

This is yet another late letter, because life with you is just so busy lately!  It has been so fun celebrating our first holiday season as a family of three.  We had Thanksgiving at your Coco and GrandO's house, and you sat right at the table with everyone and ate alongside us.  These days you're pretty much eating whatever we eat, and on Thanksgiving that meant sweet potatoes, carrots, bread, and a little bit of turkey (which you weren't a big fan of).  It is so much fun to watch you explore new tastes.  You're having three small solid food meals a day now and still nursing like a champ in between.

You're babbling so much more these days, experimenting with different sounds and of course, volumes!  You discovered how to make a whooping noise by patting your hand against your mouth while you babble, and it cracks both you and us up.  You've also figured out how to make a phhhhhhttt noise with your tongue.  We love hearing you talk to yourself in your crib... bababababa, dadadadada, and mamamamama are sung out at the top of your lungs!  Your mom even thinks you're starting to associate that last one with her, but nobody's letting her count it as your first word just yet.  It seems like you pick a sound of the day and stick with practicing one all day long.

This month was the month of glorious sleep, setting new records of 11, 12, and once even 13 hours of sleep overnight!  You're sleeping in until around 8 am which is wonderful.  Your naps are still on the shorter side, but we can count on two of them and you go down to sleep pretty easily.  You're waking up happy more often than not, and you're content to play in your crib in the mornings while mom showers.  Towards the end of the month though, we started to notice some separation anxiety.  You're much happier when mom is in your sight, which makes for a funny morning routine of popping in and out of your room or singing to you from around the corner to assure you that we're nearby.

You've become a speed crawler, and you can get almost anywhere you'd like to go- and fast!  You're happiest when you are toting around a toy in one hand while crawling.  Anything with a handle will do, but your yellow hammer and blue bath cup are favorites.  You're much more into your toys this month, and you love to dump out the bins that contain them in the living room or your bedroom.  You love playing pattycake ("rolllllllllllll it" gets a big laugh), crack up at peekaboo, and are super giggly in general this month.  We're having so much fun :)

As far as milestones go, in addition to your official sleeping through the (twelve hour) night status, you acquired your sixth tooth this month, another top left one.  You've developed object permanence, so there's no more distracting you and hiding a toy (or non-toy) that we like for you not to have without you noticing.  You put on quite a show when we take something away from you, complete with a pouty bottom lip and fat tears.  Speaking of toys you're not supposed to have, your obsession with our phones has reached a new high (low!).  We let you watch a few minutes of Baby Einstein on YouTube in the mornings, and we get your favorite song stuck in our heads all day long ("I said, hey, little turtle...").

Nine Month Stats: 20 pounds, an even 30". 
Size: Some 9 month and some 12. 
Nicknames: Finno, Finny, Dude, Duder, Do, Finner
Must-haves: Baby Deedee Sleep Nest Baby Sleeping Bag, Sassy Soft Touch Rinse Cup (yes this is really one of your favorite toys), Boogie Wipes

Milestones:

November 25: figured out how to make a whooping noise
December 16: 11 hours of sleep overnight!
December 18: Tooth #6 (top second left)
December 19: 12 hours of sleep overnight!

Walking through the door after a long day of work, you greet us with a huge dimply grin and crawl across the living room at top speed to welcome us.  There is just nothing like it.  I'll sing the chorus of this song now: "Finn, you are more fun every month!".  It's true though, that the more we get to know you the more we enjoy spending time with you.  You can put a smile on our faces even in the most trying times.  We are just so glad that you're a part of our family, little man.  

Love you so much I can't stand it,
Momma