9 Months!

Let's just clear the air here...I missed doing an 8 month post. No promises on 10 or 11 month posts, but I'll definitely do the 1 year ;). Kind of easier when they follow his doctor checkups.

Van's had a big couple of months, especially in terms of mobility. He's army crawling (aka "creeping") now, so that combined with his fabulous rolling skills are getting him all over the apartment. He also pulls himself to a sit and kind of a kneel (in very earnest attempts to stand). He LOVES to stand, and is pretty stubborn about doing it as independently as possible. No holding him under his armpits, no sir... he will grab your thumbs or shirt and hold his own self up.

Baby tooth #1 has arrived! Bottom left. He's proudly using it to bite down on bottle nipples and baby spoons. I haven't been bitten...yet.

(trust me, this was not staged. I certainly wouldn't have used chicken, gross).

He copies what we do even more - he'll mimick talking in a high voice, banging on the table, smiling, laughing, smacking his mouth, tilting his head. Lots of fun. He still has a great sense of humor, and seems to really like when there's an element of surprise or even danger (like if Mike almost "drops" him).

His favorite person is probably "the baby in the mirror", but I'm sure Mike and I are a close second and third. (Sorry, Grandma, I guess that puts you in 4th place. That doesn't sound very glamorous, does it?)

Comments he receives a lot:

"Look at those big blue eyes!"

"Hi, handsome"

"He's tall!"

"He seems like a happy guy."

"I love his hair!"

"Is he walking?"

You might wonder why people ask if he's walking at 9 months...probably because of how TALL he is! At his checkup today (exactly 9 months), he was 29.5 inches long (87th percentile, or the average height of an 11 month old boy) and weighed 19 lbs 8.5 oz (34th percentile). So kind of a tall skinny thing, but still plenty of baby fat in those cheeks and thighs.

He L-O-V-E-S that blanket. Sleeps like such a big kid now. A lot of nights he only wakes up once! Still does two 1.5 - 2 hour naps per day.

Love you, Van!

So Van has been doing this funny thing where he'll put his forehead to mine. Sometimes he initiates it, like if he's just sitting on my lap or tummy. But I can usually get him to do it if I say "Hi baby" in a high voice- then he'll lean forward and hold his forehead to mine and usually talk back in a high voice. So funny. He won't do it to Mike. Got it on video:



Maybe this is his version of an Eskimo kiss?

Easter!

I have zero pictures of Van in his church clothes on Easter. This due to me having to go to choir practice BEFORE 9 o'clock church, and having to do the sharing time lesson. We got a couple of him opening his Easter basket. He just got a few things - stuffed bunny, foam football, bubbles, and a tie. Oh and somehow the puffs that were in his stocking from Santa were also there. I guess Santa and EB talk...

Casual photo shoot

We were playing with bubbles outside today, and also playing with the settings on our camera and had an impromptu photo shoot of Van...which I then had some fun with on picnik (did you know you can use all the premium features on picnik for free until it closes on 4/19? seriously, go nuts):

"Cinema" effect or something. I liked what it did with the colors and sharpness. Plus, look at that face!

Did a "fancy focus" here so Van's face is focused.

And a cute collage of the bubbles. Yay!

Stats

Went in for a GI follow up today- Van is 19 pounds exactly and 28.5 inches long. Head is 46 cm.

Grandma Time

Mike and Van came down with me to San Diego county the week of 3/18. I had to work, but we thought it would be fun to all stay in the hotel together and have lunch together every day.

Let me just say that packing for a baby this age to stay at a hotel was challenging. It worked out really well though - the room had a HUGE bathroom that easily fit the rollaway crib, so we put him in there for naps and at bedtime. That way we could still talk and have a light on.

Mike took Van down to San Diego to see Grandma Betty and Aunt Lori, and then we all went again Thursday evening and spent the night. Got some great shots of Van in the hotel and with Grandma Betty and Lori:

I had to go back down for the first part of the next week, so my mom came down and watched Van. She took him to the park, the mall, and on walks. I think he loved it!

Thanks, grandmas!