Little Mr Nine Months

It's hard to believe it's been only a month since Mr's last birthday post.  He has been whizzing through the milestones. Brrrrrrrrrmmmmm! As He would say.

So what's new?

Well for one, Mr is now the proud owner of eight pearly teeth, which came pretty much all at once.  He's even figured out how to use them to chew, and has been eating up all kinds of good stuff.  He will occasionally make a pretty hilarious face when given something new, but He will eat ANYthing.  He's hungry! All the time! Because He's SO. BUSY.  

This kid, Peanuts.  Ay.  I love to watch Him learn and grow, be strong and explore.  But He's pretty much in constant peril.  He is ALWAYS MOVING.  So much so, that all these capital letters are totally necessary.  For you to get the point that HE IS INTO EVERYTHING.  

He has developed a special and weird affinity for the little bolt covers on the base of the toilet.  He lurks, guys.  He stalks the bathrooms.  If anyone (ahem Missy) leaves the door open even a crack, He bolts for it.  Before you know it He has wrenched the icky chocking hazard from the toilet and is holding it up like a glorious trophy, "ahaha! it's mine! MINE!" preparing to swallow it.  

When that's unavailable, there's always the trash-can pedal in the kitchen to pinch His fingers in (every time.  Every. time.) or the Sister's room to rampage for dollhouse furniture and neglected hair bows.  The shoe closet is an exciting place, when He can break into it.  And He's always scouting about dutifully, making sure I haven't missed a single crumb in my housekeeping.  Way to keep after me, Mr!  Got to have things spic and span.  Otherwise what's the fun in spitting up all over it?!

He's formidable to keep up with now, too, since He's finally acquired a full crawl, and has even started pulling up onto His feet and trying to climb things.  

All that thinking about how to subvert me and get into the bathroom has sharpened His thinking skills, too.  He knows a few baby signs (More, drink, milk, change, all-done), a few words (mama, dada, pat-pat, all done, hi), blows excellent raspberries, and loves to sing with me.  Which is even cuter than it sounds.  

The only things Mr doesn't like these days is being restrained too long (too long=over 5 minutes) and skipping naps.  Otherwise, the world is pretty much His oyster.  He loves crawling around exploring, likes the jumper and "hamster wheel" (anchored walker) for awhile anyways, LOVES His bath, and enjoys our thrice daily walks to His Sister's schools.  

He likes to talk, giggle, sing, and be tickled.  He loves anything that has to do with His sisters giving Him any kind of attention or just being silly near Him.  His favorite food is broccoli, His favorite games are peek-a-boo, rolling or chasing a ball, pat-a-cake, and yank-mama-or-sisters-hair-out.  He loves having His teeth brushed, which either tickles like the dickens or is just really really funny.

He has recently (in the last two weeks) been forced to go cold turkey on the pacifier.  While He occasionally laments this loss, He continues to be a fabulous sleeper, 12 hours at night and as much nap as I will give Him.  

While I wouldn't call Him cuddly, He does love hugs, kisses, attention, and a cozy lap for bedtime stories.  He does love to hug my shoulder, nuzzle my neck, and then give me a big fat raspberry on the arm and laugh hysterically.  He does love to hurl Himself into my arms for the occasional hug before moving on to explore some more ( my mother calls this the 'body-slam hug'), and He is fond of big, wet, slimy, baby kisses right on the face. When He's feeling really lovey, He loops one arm around your neck, then uses the other to pat your back gently, resting His head on your shoulder and purring, "pat-pat, pat-pat-pat".  

All I hear when we are out is what a happy baby He is, what a friendly baby He is, what a sweet baby He is, and is He like that all the time?  And yes.  Yes He is.  I find Mister at at nine months to be about as much fun as anything could possibly be.  He keeps me hopping these days, but it feels like a dance.  Like dancing with the music loud, dancing like crazy because you are so happy you can't help it, dancing till you're tired and don't care and keep dancing.  

Little Mister Nine Months, you are so busy.  So busy! You are so curious, so strong, so terrifyingly fearless.  Keeping up after you is a constant and never-ending activity, and it is the most wonderful fun there could be.  I can't wait to keep dancing with you.  Happy birthday.