Here are some of the things going on with James at 9 months:
- He is 28.5 inches long (55th percentile) and 19 pounds 14.5 ounces (40th percentile). People always comment about what a big boy he is, so I was actually surprised to learn he is really falling right in the middle of other children his age.
- He is wearing 9 month clothes if they are separate pieces and 12 month one-piece outfits. We have learned that he isn't necessarily tall but very long waisted.
- He is sleeping better than ever. He naps about 3 hours total during the day - napping at around 10:00 and 3:00 before the time change a few days ago. He is also able to now sleep flat in his crib which is a great indicator that his reflux is improving although after talking to the doctor about his reflux yesterday feels it would be best to continue the medicine a while longer (which is what we were thinking too!). He has become a tummy sleeper and seems to do much better that way. He goes to bed around 8PM and wakes up around 7 am with minimal resettling at night.
- He continues to love Mickey Mouse and Mickey Mouse Clubhouse. We no longer have cable but bought a Mickey Mouse DVD and now when he wants to watch it goes over to the DVD player and tries to press the buttons to turn it on. When I turn the video on for him, he squeals with delight and hits his hand on the ottoman in front of the TV. He responds more quickly to "Mickey Mouse" than he does his own name. :)
- He has two teeth on the bottom and we are expecting to see more on top very soon.
- He is eating more finger foods now. We are doing a mixture of purees and finger foods but he is starting to reject the purees more and more. He has eaten gerber puffs and melts, cheerios, whole wheat toast and crackers, plain waffles, cheese, cooked cubes of vegetables and fruits, and even some cubes of chicken and egg yolk. Some meals he loves to eat and some meals he is not interested in at all but we continue to offer them three times a day. He is doing very well drinking water from his sippy cup. He also loves feeling the different textures of food by squeezing them in his hands. :)
- He is just all boy. He truly does not slow down all day - from crawling, to pulling up, to cruising on the furniture, to exploring the house. I am on my toes all the time. He has even started standing on his own for about 30 seconds at a time. He loves his bath. He splashes around and even tries to put his whole face in the water. He is just so active and inquisitive.
- His personality is really blossoming. He laughs more and more, is "talking" lots, and even says "mama" quite a bit. It is the only real word he has said so far.
- He laughs when we make animal sounds and tries to imitate them. I do the "sheep says baaaaa" a lot and he tries to say "baaaa"...so cute! He love all his animal toys that you can squeeze and they make a noise.
- His stranger anxiety seems to be easing up some. He still looks around for Mommy and Daddy but is more willing to let others hold him and play with him. I've been visiting the church nursery with him for a few weeks and am hoping soon that he will feel comfortable enough to stay on his own for the service.
- He loves peek-a-boo in any form....if we hide our faces in our hands, under a blanket, or even pop out from behind a door. He just laughs and laughs!
- He enjoys reading especially when he is getting sleepy. He loves for us to hold him and read some books and looks intently at the pages. :)
- He lets us know when he doesn't like something...anything that makes him slow down (diaper changes, sitting in the car seat, sitting in the high chair) or taking something away that he wants (laptop or cell phone) results in a very upset little boy.
We did have a little scare at the doctor yesterday that I wanted to share briefly. Even though the doctor explained that it was not "serious" he was concerned about James' left hip and that it may be coming in and out of the socket and that it would be better to find out sooner rather than later. He said that if this was the case he would have to basically have his legs stabilized with some foam between his legs for a few week to correct the problem. I immediately started to blame myself asking how we could have caused this (letting him put too much pressure on his legs too soon, etc.) and he reassured us that it was nothing that we would have done. He explained the condition in more detail but honestly I was hardly able to fully listen and comprehend at this point. I just started to worry and then knew I need to stop and pray. We left the office to go have an x-ray done. Even though this news was far less serious than so many of the things parents have to hear about their children, there was still fear and uncertainty involved and it was hard to watch him scream and cry being held down on a table for multiple x-rays. After the x-rays were the done the technician told us that she wanted us to wait because one x-ray did not look "right." I looked at her I'm sure with fear in my eyes and asked "what's wrong?" and she said, "I don't do that part..." and her look was sympathetic but not very reassuring. We sat in the room holding a very upset little boy and continued to pray over him. A few minutes later that same lady came back and said "good news, everything is actually normal and we are going to report back to your doctor that everything is fine." We both let out a huge sigh of relief... It was a very emotional experience. I was filled with such thanks to God for the continued health of our little boy! I know there will likely be more moments of fear or uncertainty ahead of us throughout the years, but I am thankful for peace and comfort that comes in knowing Jesus!
James, it has been 9 wonderful months! You have filled our lives with even more joy. I have enjoyed learning all about you (and even from you) and pray that God would continue to bless mine and Daddy's relationship with you throughout your life. I pray also that you will know the amazing love God has for you and cling to Jesus all of your days! I love you forever! Love, Mama
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