Nine Months Old

 Happy 9 Months Ellaphina!

You are 16.4 lbs. and 26.75" long.  You may be petite, but your personality is huge!  You definitely make an impression on everyone around you.  Most notable this month is your new-found ability to move.  While you're not exactly crawling yet, you are scooting, pushing backwards, rocking, and (most recently) trying to pull yourself up.  You are also growing chattier by the day, and it is easy to see that you are understanding more and more.  You still possess those little quirks that make you unique: nosing, picking up the tiniest fuzzies, and wiggle woggling.  Lately you've discovered how fascinating your two little teeth are and you are constantly flashing them and using them to make all sort of silly raspberry sounds.  You're learning to share as you extend your hand to show us your toy or feed us your finger foods.  Speaking of foods, you are becoming quite the foodie.  You love oxtail and rambutan, and are ready and willing try anything we offer you.

You love hanging upside down, giving big grins, and playing with my purse straps.  You can't help but laugh when we skip with your or when Daddy holds you high up on his shoulder and I chase you around.  You are so incredibly playful and delightful!  You get a kick out of imitating us--sticking out your tongue and coughing when we cough are your favorites.  You're growing more social and eager to engage with other babies, making Gymboree and playdates lots of fun for you.  My heart melts every time your reach out and hug me, or nuzzle me while I hold you.  Watching you nose-to-nose with your daddy makes me fall in love with both of you all over again.

Nine months!  It took about the same amount of time for you to grow in my belly, and now you've grown in our lives.  You make every day a miracle, reminding us how even the smallest of accomplishments are such blessings.  You laugh at the littlest things, reminding us that we have so much to be joyful about. You love so enthusiastically and so purely, reminding us what God calls us to do on a daily basis.  So at nine months, I thank you, Babycakes.  Thank you for teaching us how to be better people, simply by existing and being you.