Nine Months

Dear Annelise,

Every time I sit down to write you one of these letters, I can't believe that another month has passed and that we are getting closer and closer to your one year birthday.  How can you be so grown, but yet still so little?

You haven't had many milestones this month, but you have had a bunch of firsts.  Daddy and I took you to see Santa for the first time.  You did a lot better than I thought you would.  You were very hesitant at first, and you had your serious face on the whole time.  We did manage to get one picture where you are smiling a little bit.

You are a crawling and climbing machine!  I laugh because you are still new to the whole crawling thing and you get so excited and try to get to where you are going so fast that you slip.  I can always tell when you are excited or trying to get somewhere in a hurry because you do this short, fast crawl.  The sound of your hands on the floor is the cutest thing ever to me!  You pull up on anything and everything.  You have started to cruise along things, but only a little bit.  I secretly hope that you'll walk by my birthday, but I don't think that will happen.  Maybe you'll surprise me.  Sometimes I'll take you downstairs and see if you have an interest in climbing the stairs, but you don't seem interested at all.  You'll pull up on the first step, but won't climb them.  I know that it's only a matter of time before I can't keep you off of them.  You have even started to let go of whatever you have pulled up on and balance on your own.  It doesn't last long before you either grab back on or fall onto your booty.  You are surprisingly very good at it!

We celebrated Christmas with you for the first time.  You had no clue what was going on, and you weren't even interested in opening the presents.  Mom and Dad made some great memories though.  We can't wait to celebrate more Christmases with you!

Lady, you LOVE to eat!  You get so excited when I put you in your high chair.  You know that food is coming and you are excited.  You have really loved everything that I've given you.  I gave you hamburger the other day with some noodles and you chowed down on the hamburger and left the noodles.  You eventually ate the noodles, but not until you had finished all of the meat.  You also do a great job of clearing your tray.  I absolutely love to watch how excited you get when you eat.  You babble and shriek the whole time.  I can't help but smile.

Your sleep has gotten so much better!!  Naps are a bit touch and go most days and don't even come close to resembling a pattern.  However, your night sleep has dramatically improved.  You get a full bottle of breast milk at bedtime.  By the time you've finished your bottle, you are usually so sleepy that you don't need any rocking.  Sometimes that varies.  You've started sleeping through the night on a consistent basis.  Every once in a while, we'll have a rough night where you'll wake up.  I am so proud of you and how far you've come in this area!

You still don't say many sounds.  You've definitely got "ma" or "mom" down very well.  You'll make a sound while you're eating that sounds like "nom", which is very cute.  That's really about it though.  Most of your other sounds are shrieks or babbling.  And giggles!  Love those baby giggles!

I am kind of amazed at the temper tantrums that you can throw.  I really didn't think that it was possible to start them so intensely at this age, but you have proven that wrong.  You know what you want and you are out to get it.  You are definitely headstrong.  I'm pretty sure that that is both good and bad.  I'm also pretty sure that if your tantrums are this bad now, I'm hosed when you're a toddler.  I'm frightened. Please go easy on me!

You are 17 pounds 13 ounces and are 26 inches long.  You are in the 8th percentile for your height.  Looks like you are going to be short like your mama!  You are still in 12 month clothing and size 3 diapers.

My girl, I love you more than words can describe.  I am so blessed to have you and watch you grow.  You are turning into such an amazing little girl.  I am so proud to call you mine!

Love you always,
Mommy