9 months

Oh baby girl, You are quickly growing up. Expressing more and more of your independence every day. Your personality continues to develop, and what a sweet personality you have. You are so laid back and mellow, sweet and happy.

You are crawling all over the place! Always on the move. You are now venturing out beyond the rug in the living room. Crawling into the kitchen and entry. You are so funny. You like to crawl into the entry and yell and make noises to hear your voice echo.

You love to pull up on anything and everything. You have recently discovered the white basket in the corner that holds all of your toys. What a treasure! You will stand and pull toys out. You have even discovered how to hold on with one hand, reach down to the floor and pick up a toy that you dropped. So talented!

You now have four teeth. Two on the bottom and two on the top. It is fun to watch you learn about these new things in your mouth. I often find you with your tongue sticking out or hear you grinding your teeth together.

You are eating more and more solid foods. Some of your favorites are peaches, pears, apricots and oatmeal cereal. Those are usually never turned down. You also eat sweet potatoes, sweet peas, carrots, green beans, and asparagus pretty consistently. You like the baby food bananas but not fresh bananas. I don't know why. Maybe the fresh ones taste too strong.

As I said, you like showing a little bit of independence. You like feeding yourself. Gerber puffs are some of your favorite things to eat with your fingers. We've also tried grapes, strawberries, and bananas. Sometimes they make it to your mouth but most of the time you just squish it between your fingers.

Official growth stats from your 9 month well baby check up:

Weight: 16.4 lbs 10th percentile

Length: 27" 50th percentile (actually, this is an at home measurement. I forgot the official stats from the Dr. office.)

Your weight has dropped steadily from the 50th percentile to the 25th and now to the 10th. But the pediatrician did not seemed worried because you are so healthy.

You wave 'bye-bye' when someone leaves. Sometimes you use your hole arm and flap your hand and sometimes you open and close your hand while it is facing you. It is so sweet.

It seems that your favorite thing to say is still 'da-da-da'. Although you are jabbering more and more and using more and more consonants. It is almost like you are telling us a story. It is so amazing to watch your language skills develop.

You seem to really love school and your teacher. I am so glad. It is nice to know you are being taken care of when Mommy can't be with you. Ms. Paula keeps you on your schedule. She even has you going down for nap time on your own! I need her to come to our house to help me. You have had several parties at school. One for Christmas and one for Valentines day. I was able to go to your Christmas party. It was so cute but of course none of you knew what was going on.

You are pretty consistent with your schedule. Most of the time this is how your day goes: Wake around 6:00 am and take a bottle. Then we play or get ready for school. Before you go down for a nap, you have some cereal. Then go down for a morning nap. When you wake up, you have lunch. Typically a vegetable and a fruit and some water or juice. Followed with another bottle. More playing, crawling, and getting into things you shouldn't. Then another nap sometime between 1:00 and 2:00. Another bottle when you wake up. Around 5:30 or 6:00, you eat supper. Another vegetable and fruit. Then nurse, bathe, and night-night. You are asleep before 7:30 and sleep all night.

You are an absolute joy to us, Adilyn. We love watching you grow and develop. We can see your little mind figuring out and learning all about this world. It is so amazing and we thank God for you everyday. You are the most amazing gift Daddy and I have ever been given.

We love you, Adi!

Momma