Nine months

Emma turned nine months last week. I never even wrote an eight-month update, so this will probably include details for the past two months.

She is so much fun at this stage!

• She crawls everywhere ... FAST! She likes to get into anything she knows she's not supposed to ... especially the entertainment center stuff (loves pulling the Wii to the ground), magazines and, most recently, the toilet! Yuck! She also learned how to open the microwave last week! Awesome! I knew there was a good reason I hated it being so low.


• She is on a great eating schedule. Bottle and fruit between 6 and 7 a.m., another bottle around 10 a.m., lunch veggie, afternoon bottle, dinner and night bottle. That's only four bottles (6 ounces each). We are buying formula less often! The end is near. It's so hard to believe she will be drinking milk in less than three months! She loves Ritz crackers, puffs and lil cruchers. She tried yogurt this week, but isn't crazy about it.


• Growth-wise: Emma continues in the 75th percentile across the board. I am so happy she is growing steadily! At her nine-month checkup, she weighed 20 pounds, 3 oz. and measured 28.5 inches.
  
• Her balance is improving every day. She can stand up just by balancing on a wall (she doesn't have to pull herself up) and she cruises with ease.


• She loves bath time! Last night I tried to take her out before she was ready, and she let me know!


• Teeth: she now has six (that's no typo!)


• Tantrums: throws them any time we try to remove her from entertainment center or take away something she shouldn't have ... like DVDs (which she loves to pull down), electrical cords, etc.


• Sleeping: she is doing well overall. There was a rough week when I let her sleep with me more than I should have, but I really needed my sleep and she's so sweet to cuddle with! She is now back in her crib all night. And she wakes up right around 6 a.m. EVERY day.


• Clapping and waving: Debbie taught her how to clap! It is the cutest thing. She is also catching on to waving and sometimes gives us a high five.


• Daddy's girl: she prefers Denny over anyone, but loves me, too!
  

I feel like I'm forgetting more, but it's hard to remember everything. She is such a joy. It's hard to remember life without her. We are truly blessed with a sweet, passionate little lady.