The Fidge at 9 Months

Not the official Christmas card, but one of the considered designs.

Today, you are 9 months old. That's three-quarters of a year.  That's 39 weeks. That means you've now essentially doubled in age. Thirty-nine weeks in the womb and 39 weeks outside of it.  I still can never quite tell if the time has moved swiftly or slowly.  It depends during which minute you ask me, I suppose.

In the last month you've polished your crawling.  You stand up easily now and are currently perfecting the no-hands stand after the couch our your musical table has helped you get upright.  There's a lot of wobbling and some balance-checking, but you're doing it. Over the weekend you managed to get from one side of the musical table to the adjacent side. The first cruise?  I guess so.  I'm not sure if you'll be walking by Christmas, but I think you'll be crusing more by then.

In the last few days it seems like you've found some new sounds. A na-na-na, a ne-ne-ne, and a sort of nyea-nyea.  And there's still plenty of dadadadada and mamamama, but we know those aren't really words  yet. 

I've been saying all along that 9 months is my favorite age - judging solely on other 9 month olds, of course. But you do seem so bright and enthused at this highly exploring age.  You save your best giggles, your only giggles, for us and most of  your smiles too.  You'd much rather stare-down or jut out that lower lip at strangers and even other family members you don't see often enough.  Sometimes I wonder why you don't smile more.  But I forget those concerns every morning when it's all smiles and bright faces and happiness as we all wake up in bed together and play before I have to rush off to work.

It's Christmastime.  You don't care too much yet, but I'm guessing by next year you'll have a bit of a clue that it's a festive time of year.  You watched a bit of Rudolph on the big screen last night and sure liked the colors and music.

When you're grown-up, you'll notice grown-ups get all misty eyed and retro/introspective at this time of year.  Looking back at the year, looking ahead to next.  It's all new for us from here on out - just like it's been for the last 78 weeks or so.  It's new for you, too.

Each day is a day closer to hearing what you have to say and a day closer to baking with you or taking you to tea or all sorts of exciting things.