Big smiling boy

J had his nine month checkup this morning. How is this possible? How can that kicking, hiccuping, up all night, heartburn causing, sob inducing sweet baby boy have been out of my belly for NINE MONTHS already? Time really does go by too fast. In a heartbeat I will be waving to him as he heads off to Kindergarten with his backpack in hand. Ho hum. Not yet, sweet boy, not just yet.

J is 29 inches tall (50-75th percentile) and weighs 20 pounds, 4 ounces (50th percentile). He started crawling last Monday, right across the playroom to Grandma M. He hasn't stopped since. He crawls to a destination, and promptly wants to stand up. When he stands up, he wants to be walking around. Are you getting the picture? Another first is that while crawling across the rug to ME ME ME, he said "ma ma ma". Sob. I know! Isn't that wonderful? Okay, it could be the pain meds, it could be PMS, it could just be being a Mommy. Anyway, it was beautiful.

He eats small pieces of soft foods now. Like real green beans and carrots, not the pureed kind. Daddy is still making him all kinds of yummy, healthy foods. In the freezer now are rice, pork, chicken, navy beans, beets, sweet potato, apples, peaches, peas, green beans, carrots...he loves it ALL. He eats noodles, crackers, cheerios, bananas. He drinks water out of his sippy cup, but isn't quite convinced he should drink an entire serving of milk out of one yet.

He is still as happy-go-lucky as ever. He is seriously the sweetest baby I have ever known. His teething (he has six showing!) makes him a little grumpy from time to time, but overall he is just so good. So easy to smile. So easy to giggle. My little lump of sweet. That's my nickname for him, "sweet". (Said in a nice mommy-way, not in an obnoxious South Park way)

It's hard to believe this was him just a few months ago, sitting in his car seat on the patio of our old house, taking in some fresh air on the day we came home from the hospital. My sweet.