9 Months

Happy 9 month birthday Emma Sue!!

Ok, it was yesterday... I'm a day late... but better late than never!

Emma:

This month you have amazed us. You, again, have grown leaps and bounds and have accomplished and learned so many things this month that your Dad and I are considering therapy and a private parenting coach. Ok, so maybe it hasn't been that bad... but still. Look at all of the things that you have done this month! :

• You are crawling! On Valentines Day at 8 months, 2 weeks old you began crawling! I set you down to pick out your clothes for the day and when I turned around, you were crawling over to the register to play with the cords in the wall and the register cover! I was so excited that I grabbed my phone and video-taped you crawling so Daddy could see you crawl for the first time. It was so exciting!
• The next week, you began to pull yourself up into a standing position in your crib and on the baby gate that we had to put up on Valentine's Day. You see, as I predicted, the moment you learned to crawl... Sarah doggy was a reachable target and you spent countless hours trying to reach her and play with her. So, up went the baby gates and now you two are separated during the day because Sarah doggy doesn't realize just how much bigger she is than you and although she loves you... she could easily hurt you without realizing it. I'm sorry baby, but that's how it has to be. 
• You began sleeping on your tummy at night. When I put you in your crib, you lay to the side but when you fall asleep you end up on your belly. Scary for Mommy but the good news is that the hair is now growing on the back of your head! 
• In the mornings when we go in to get you (Daddy usually gets you up in the morning), you are standing in your crib just waiting for us with a big smile! It is super cute!
• We lowered your crib now that you are standing in it. 
• You started clapping! Mommy is teaching to sign "more" when you want more food, and somehow you decided that I was telling you to clap and you have started clapping. It is really cute!
• You love to "chat" and sing along to songs and you dance to music! You are mesmerized by the TV when Daddy lets you watch it. We don't watch any TV during the week but Daddy thinks you should start learning how to enjoy Saturday morning cartoons. So, you get to watch about 15 minutes of TV on Saturday and Sunday mornings with Daddy. I think he likes it more than you do, but I am telling you.... you do not blink during the entire show! You are mesmerized!
• You started throwing temper tantrums and Mommy has been working with you to teach you that there is no reason for them. You are getting better every day with expressing your unhappiness and you are learning what the word "no" means. I'm convinced you now know your full name as I have used it many times to stop you from touching something you shouldn't. It sounds like this: "Emma Sue Risheill." "No, no."  It works! 
• You began giving Mommy kisses on the cheek!! It just melts my heart!!! I say "kisses!" and kiss you on the cheek and then you turn your head, open your mouth as wide as you can and do a face plant into my cheek. That makes every sleepless, long night worth it Emma. You are so much fun but so much work!
• You now grasp on to Daddy's and Mommy's fingers and pull yourself up and start walking while we hold your hands! I am not ready for you to walk!
• You are eating non-stop these days. You like puffs, you like pickles, you like guacamole, you like pillsbury biscuits, you like apples... you pretty much like everything and anything that I let you try. You eat 2 4-oz jars of fruit for breakfast, 1 4-ounce jar of veggies for lunch with 2 ounces of water/juice, you eat 2 4-oz jars of veggies for dinner and now little bits of things that we are eating. You love to eat... you are definitely like me :)
• You are doing better on Sunday mornings in the nursery now that you can crawl. You don't cry at all until I come to pick you up and you see me at the door to get you. Sunday nights are a different story but you are there past your bedtime so I can't really blame you. 
• Baby lap time at the library is also much different now that you are crawling. Instead of sitting next to me watching the other babies, you now crawl to the other babies/toddlers and try to play with everyone. You LOVE when other babies pay attention to you and you try to copy everything they do... which is where I think your temper tantrums come from since they seem to change form based on what you witness at baby lap time. It's quite interesting to watch you but you do keep me on my toes! Every week we now pick out new books from the library for Daddy to read you at night. You have started to really love books! This makes me happy!

I am having a blast with you but now that you are crawling you are getting quite bored during the day being stuck in one room pretty much. So, we have started venturing out more as the weather permits. We go to the library, we go to Target and walk around, and sometimes Meijer to pick up some groceries. You love taking adventures outside of our house and I can hardly wait for warmer weather so we can go outside and go for walks and play in the yard. 

I just cannot believe that you are 9 months old. Your last month in the single digits. 3 more months until you are considered a toddler. The time flies by and I am so emotional about you growing and changing so fast. I never dreamed it would be so emotionally taxing to love you like we do. We are excited for all of your growing and changing but sad that your newborn baby does are a thing of the past. You are now this super cute social butterfly with likes, dislikes and a strong personality. We just love you so much and cannot wait to see what the next month holds!