The Hobson Family: 9 Months

Dear Emily,

Well, we are definitely on the down hill slide of your 1st year! The time has flown so fast, my head is spinning! At your 9 month check up, you weighed in at 16 lbs, 16 oz and 27" long. You are 15% for your weight and 50% for your height. You didn't have to get shots at this visit, but did have to get your blood taken - you were so good - you didn't even cry at all!

You wear size 6-12 month or 6-9 month clothes, but can still fit in 3-6 month clothes too! You wear about a size 2 shoe, but some 0 size shoes also still fit you. Although, I never put shoes on you because you just want to take them off and eat them - ha! Plus, it's been so hot, I feel like they are just too hot and uncomfy for you. One thing is for sure, I LOVE to dress you up like you are my baby doll! People are always stopping us in stores to talk to you. Mommy and Daddy took you shopping at Wal Mart the other day and we literally had 7 people surrounding us making a fuss over you. Of course, we all just ate up the attention - we are proud parents for sure!

Speaking of shopping, Mommy finally got you out of your umbrella stroller and put you into a grocery stroller this past month. I probably could've done this months ago, but I didn't have the neat stroller cover to protect you from yuck store germs. Well, you LOVE riding in the grocery strollers. You feel so big and tall and are face to face with your fav person in the world...Mommy! =) I love to give you hugs while you are in the stroller - I just lean over and hug and love on you periodically while shopping - mommy is crazy over you! Daddy has started doing this with you too - you're just so huggable!

You still LOVE to swing. You get so excited when Mommy even opens the back door - you start jumping in my arms.

You also LOVE your Santa Pup. It's a little stuffed puppy dressed as Santa Clause. He sings "Jesus Loves Me" when you push his tummy. Pawpaw gave him to you for Christmas and he's your fav baby. He makes diaper changes much more fun!

You took your 1st trip to the zoo this past month. We went for a birthday party, so a lot of your friends were there too. We saw some animals, rode the carousel, rode the train, and ate ice cream (all things you did for the 1st time!) It was SOOO HOT though as you can probably tell from our red faces in these pics!

Something silly you do...

When I take a picture of you with a point and shoot camera, you smile SO BIG! It's the funniest thing! It's like you know what to do! Here is an example of how BIG you smile for the camera.

You have really started to pay attention to your puppy sisters, Gracie and Harlee, this past month. You like to pull their hair, which I'm trying to teach you NOT to do! I'm trying to teach you to be sweet and treat them nice. They love you and you will learn to love them. I can't wait until you can help mommy take care of them. 1st order of business...teaching you how to brush Gracie's hair! haha!

A few more mile stones for the month...

We have dropped a nap and a feed! You are now down to eating 4 times a day (breakfast, lunch, supper, and before bed - we dropped the 3:00 afternoon feed). You are down to only 2 naps a day (2 hour morning nap and 2 hour afternoon nap). The new schedule works out great and you'll stick with this schedule until about 20 months old - give or take a month or so. The schedule is truly magical and credit your schedule as the reason you are the happiest baby on the planet...that and you have your mama's sweet personality..haha!

You can feed yourself an entire bottle now. You don't do this very often since we are still nursing, but every once in a while, Mommy or Daddy will give you a bottle and you are able to drink it all by yourself. You have to be propped up on the boppy pillow though.

I introduced you to a sippy cup this past month. You don't have the hang of it just yet, but are getting there. So far, I've only given you water and a little juice (mostly water). You basically have treated it just like a toy and throw it around. Hopefully, you'll get the hang of it in the next month or so. My plan is to introduce whole milk to you in a sippy cup and ONLY a sippy cup...weaning off bottles and nursing at the same time - yikes!! We still have a little time though.

You have started pulling up on things. You can't totally pull up on something by yourself yet, but with a little help, you can pull up and stand on your own.

You are TRYING to crawl, but can't quite get the hang of it yet. You get so frustrated, but I know you'll get it really soon. If not, you'll walk first. You LOVE to stand and I know you would rather walk. It's probably my fault that you aren't crawling yet because every time you get on your tummy and fuss, I pick you up and sit you on your bottom. You HATE being on your tummy and I HATE hearing you fuss, so here we are...you are 9 months old and still not crawling. Oh well. You'll get there eventually. =)

You and Abby Grace had your very 1st sleep over this past month. Actually, you girls had several sleep overs together this month. We had story time together - it was very sweet. Of course, you girls had to sleep in separate rooms to make sure you wouldn't wake each other up, but one day, you'll be able to sleep in the same bed and have true slumber parties!

You visited Atlanta for the 1st time this past month too! Atlanta is a very important city because it's where your Uncle David, Aunt Melissa, and cousins, Avery and Liam, live. We don't get to see them very much which is so sad, but when we do get to see them, it's big fun for everyone! We celebrated your 1st 4th of July with them and it was a blast.

Daddy and Uncle Dave ran in the Peachtree Road Race, which is the largest (or one of the largest) 10k's in the country. It was fun to cheer them on!

Then, we celebrated the 4th with a Children's Parade in Uncle Dave and Aunt Melissa's neighborhood!

We also went swimming, watched Uncle Dave and Daddy play soccer, and played with cousins, Avery and Liam!

You also had your 1st taste of an avocado thanks to Aunt Melissa!

It was a very fun weekend and you were pooped on the car ride home!

Something not so great that happened this past month is your 1st diaper rash. It wasn't a horrible diaper rash, but diaper rash nonetheless. SO, mommy stripped you down to naked butt and let you lie around to air out. You loved it!

You are enjoying story time more and more every time we go. It's so fun to see you watch the other kids and play. I'm SO blessed to be able to take you!

Something fun and exciting...

I sent in a picture of you wearing a Jamie Rae Hat to the Jamie Rae Hat Company and they loved it and wanted to possibly use it for advertising purposes. They actually sent you about 8 more hats for free and asked me to take more pictures of you wearing the hats! I was so excited! Of course, we had to invite Abby and Hadley to join in on the hat shoot! I'm going to turn you into a baby model yet! haha!

Mommy LOVES to take you places with me. Actually, you go just about everywhere I go (except to work). But, who wouldn't want to look back in their rear view mirror and see this smiling face?! =)

We have a WONDERFUL bedtime routine down. Actually, we've had this down for a very long time now (since you were about 10 weeks old). Believe it or not, I had never even taken a picture of you in your bath tub with my "good" camera! I had to hurry and capture this moment before you moved to the big bath tub and out of the sink! This past month, I made a point to capture it in pictures...

First comes bath time at 8:00 pm. You love your bath. You just started really splashing a lot. We're probably about to have to relocate your bath to the big bath soon!

Next comes getting your PJ's on. Sometimes you fuss over this - you'd rather just be a naked butt! We play soft lullaby music and only have lamps on in your room.

Daddy tells mommy to stop taking so many pictures and enjoy the moment! I explain, I DO enjoy the moment, but I like to capture the moments too, so I can remember them later! He says "I have all my memories in my head - I don't need pics." We'll see. =)

Then, we read two books. Usually "The Very Hungry Caterpillar" or one of your touch and feel books. Then, we always end with "Good Night Moon." You love to read!

After the books, we always say Good Night to MiMi too!

Sometimes I read to you and sometimes Daddy reads to you. On the nights Daddy reads to you, he hands you to me, so we can nurse. This is the face you make when you are handed to me...

It's the sweetest face ever! You just laugh and smile so big and kick your legs like you can't get to me fast enough. I'm going to miss this so much when we stop nursing. After we nurse, we cuddle and rock. Then, it's hugs, kisses, and night night to your crib. You sleep all night long until about 7 or 7:30 am. Sometimes 8 am or later. I can let you lay in your crib for a while and you just talk to yourself. You generally don't ever cry out when you wake in the mornings. You ALWAYS wake up happy!

Emily, I can't express to you how much my love grows for you every day. You have forever changed my life for the better. Even bad days are made better by looking into your eyes. I can't imagine my life without you and can't remember my life before you. You are my reason for living - you are my heart and soul. I will always, always, love you. Even when I'm gone from this earth, please know that mama is always in your heart.