9 Months

Weight: 18 pounds
Height: 28 inches
We're in the 20% baby!

Zane,

You have been gracing us with your presence for the same amount of time that you took over Mommy's body. While I look back on the pregnancy part and cherish the times we had to sleep, which for Mommy were broken up for bathroom breaks, I'm much more happy you're here in the real world. Being pregnant was not my favorite thing but if that's what it took to hear your laugh then I'm completely okay with it!

Let's talk about crawling shall we? The progression of your crawl started with sitting up and literally hopping on your butt and scooting across the floor. You can thank us for choosing to have wood flooring almost everywhere for making this maneuver easier for you. Or you can complain to us because these same floors made you begin crawling with one knee down and one foot placed firmly on the ground. You'd move your knee with your other leg behind and foot holding you in place. You just couldn't comprehend how to put both knees down and move along the slippery floor without falling face first. I have to admit that Daddy and I sat on the floor of your room one night while you tried to make your way to us in your PJs. You'd move slightly and then end up on your belly. I believe we might have caught this on video tape too. We are cruel and kept asking you to come to us just so we could see you slide again. No worries you're already getting us back now.

It didn't take long for you to figure out the two-knee crawl. Now you are on the move. It was a cute, slow crawl and now it is a sprint crawl. At first you did not realize your ability. Daddy kept saying you were like a super hero who didn't know about their powers. Someone came to you in your sleep and told you about your power and now you're off. Off to touch the stove and dishwasher, to grab the controller (sorry I should say controllerS), taking off after Truman and grabbing the back of his legs, pulling Mommy's work papers off the coffee table and swinging them up and down just enough to get drool on them, rip and wrinkle them. At Grandma and Grandpa's it's the dogs' water bowl and the fireplace. All of these are "DO NOT TOUCH" items and yet you try again each day to see if we've changed our mind to them being Zane's toys. Sorry buddy, still DON'T TOUCH!

I always remember seeing moms in the store that said "No" over and over again. I thought that I would never have to do that, my child would listen the first time. Ha! Joke's on me! But you understand what it means, you're just not too clear yet that it means to obey what we are saying. We've learned that if we say no several times then we turn it into come to Mommy or Daddy and you will. You'll crawl right up to us, give us this look like "Is there something I did?" and reach up with your arms to be held. This will melt your grandparents...let's save it for them!

And just when we think okay we might have this a bit under control, you go off and STAND ALONE for the first time. And it was several times for a long time that you did this. You can't move without falling but you are standing on your own! Why must we be an overachiever? We think you'll be walking by Christmas which will make the NO to touching the Christmas tree even more challenging.

You and Daddy have a special way to communicate to each other. I don't speak the language of scream and grunt that Daddy does. He screams or grunts and you repeat it right after him. Your Daddy can't seem to get enough of it and laughs as you repeat him.

Eating has taken on a whole new stage. You're well into all the foods now and started out with toast and some cheerios. Now you're eating cooked veggies, cheese, graham crackers and pasta. While I have enjoyed making all your baby food from scratch, I'm also ready to be done with it. I think we have enough in the freezer now for you till you've moved completely on to our food. It has been wonderful to know exactly what is going into your body and we've even enjoyed eating some of the leftovers, which would not happen with the jars of food!

With the finger foods has come an even closer bond with you and Truman. The Cheerios are the most entertaining to watch as you sometimes choose to bang your tray and the little circles go flying in the air. Truman will catch them right in mid air and you just smile or continue banging. He is happy to clean up anything that hits the floor which I'll admit is nice for the clean up end of things.

You also just skipped the traditional sippy cups. You'll use the ones with the straws but still would prefer to hold a cup and drink out of it. Normally you're pretty good at this but just the other night you got a bit excited and dumped the entire cup of water into your mouth, nose and all over you. You quickly pushed the cup back to me looking at me like I did it. Watching you hold the cup with both hands and drink makes me realize how big you are now.

We recently have been trying to find the pacifier monster that seems to visit our home. One day you have 10 pacifiers and the next one. Showing how well Mommy moves things around when cleaning, I finally found the monster! I moved the crib while changing the sheets and heard clank, clank, clank on the wood floor. They all were stuck in between the crib and wall...you seem to like to play with them and throw them to this resting place.

Your least favorite thing to do is to be changed. Diaper change, clothes change, any kind of change is the most horrible thing to occur in your life. You scream at the top of your lungs, throw your body dramatically in both directions and even bring up some real tears. You had a POOP ROYAL disaster the other day in which you had it up on your neck. What did you do to get it there? But let me tell you that your protesting the changing of clothes made it POOP all over Mommy, the changing stuff, your legs, back, head and every body part. I threw you into the tub because wipes just weren't going to cut it. Please, please my dear son, can we work on the drama of changing you?

You REALLY need to have Mommy at all times. Daddy feels really bad about this and I can tell by his face that sometimes it hurts him. You're with other people all the time but for some reason really need Mommy time when I'm around. You sit at my feet and pull my pants and whine until I come down to your level. It is slightly cute but to be honest is annoying at the same time. You certainly can give Daddy some of that needy love as well!

You were dedicated at church this month. As we stood on stage and as Cindy, our children's pastor, spoke to the families you paid very close attention. All the other kids were squirming and looking other ways but you were actually flirting with her on stage I do believe. We are going to have to teach you appropriate places for flirting...on stage in front of everyone at church may not be your best choice. You smiled at her and seemed to even be nodding at what she was saying. Marcus and Chrissy helped pray over our family as we made the dedication to raise you to know God. But let me make it clear that we want you to always ask questions, to challenge things and to make your faith your own, not something you're doing because your parents do.

You played with your first BIG toy...a box! And you'd much rather play with our coasters than all the cool toys you have. You splash like a mad man in the tub and had your first Halloween. We dressed you up as a monkey and I have to admit that it was pretty cute, even though I was against it at first.

You also started clapping this month. You did it in church for the first time when there were singers from Africa. I guess they inspired you! Already Mr. Cultural! You continue now to do this all the time. You see us, smile and clap for us. We feel like taking a bow sometimes that's how special it makes us feel!

Mommy has gone through lots of decisions this month. Decisions of whether or not to pursue new career options and to spend more or less time with you. I'm still struggling with it all and my choice to have and cherish my extra time with you and Daddy is my top priority. The other morning we all got to sleep in a bit and we had grabbed you from your crib to play in bed with us before breakfast. You laid in between us playing with your pacifier and talking. Truman came up and laid right next you, or more practically on top of you, with his head on your belly. You touched his head and belly laughed. We all laughed over and over again. Those are the moments I am so thankful for and those are the moments I'm not willing to miss.

Each month these letters keep getting longer and longer. Maybe it's because you do a lot more than eat, poop and sleep now. I want you to be able to read how your first year was and, really, it's more for us to cry over the night before your wedding.

Love,
Mommy & Daddy