He’s housebroken. I’m not.

Nine months.  Nine months.  Nine months?!?!?!  How is my sweet little peanut baby nine months old?  Where did this head full of hair and this chatty personality come from?  I feel like I blinked, and she’s a kid.  I said as much to a friend with a four-year-old, and he told me not to rush it… and I’m not, I’m really not.  But when I think back on the wee little nugget that she used to be – only 2 pounds, 9 ounces when she was born – and then I look at this big, beautiful girl, she just seems so grown up to me.  Don’t get me wrong, though, she’s still very much a little lady baby.

Actually, I just applied for social security.

We’ve had another eventful month.  Peanut was out and about and collecting lots of coos and stares all month.  She went to church on Mother’s Day and again the following week, where she was baptized and participated in the “baby parade,” where the newly baptized kids are walked around and introduced to the congregation in an epic march of cuteness.  And a couple of weeks ago, we walked in the northern Virginia edition of the March for Babies, to raise money to support the March of Dimes’ research and support for NICU families.  We walked on our NICU’s team and raised over $400 for the cause, so we felt great about that.  Peanut mostly snoozed through the walk, but there was about a half-mile that she did in my arms – she was fussing in the stroller – and she discovered something new: KIDS!  There were two little girls running back and forth on the trail where we were walking, and Peanut was obsessed with them.  She stared at them, babbled at them, and practically tried to climb out of my arms to get to them.  Little one just wanted to play with the big girls.  Someday, Peanut, someday.

How about today?

See above?  Peanut is sitting… sort of.  We call this Baby Tripod.  She’s working on her sitting and rolling skills, and she’s getting pretty good at rolling.  She rolls from back to front and front to back with almost equal ability.  On her birthday, she did five big rolls in a row for me… methinks it’s time to baby-proof the house.  (Yeah, I haven’t done that yet.  I didn’t see the point until Peanut showed signs of getting mobile.  Well, she’s showing signs… so we’ll be engaged in a big baby-proofing adventure very soon.)

Peanut also spent some quality time with her aunties this month.  Aunt R drove up to be Peanut’s godmother.  (Is she a lucky baby or what?) Peanut thanked her by caressing her cheek and then trying to rip her face off.  She also enjoyed a visit from Aunt G.  They laid on the floor together and mugged for the camera.  Peanut has the open-mouth smile down, but she hasn’t quite mastered the crazy eye yet.  Good thing she has her aunt to teach her.

Be afraid. Be very afraid.

It was her last month with Auntie Em nannying for her, so she soaked up plenty of snuggles, songs and stories (with the books held high out of reach so that Peanut can’t eat them).  Auntie Em leaves for grad school at the end of this week, and Peanut is really going to miss her.

Bring that book closer, will ya? I… uh… can’t see the pictures. Yeah, that’s right.

Peanut at Nine Months:

Adjusted Age: 7 months

Weight: 15 pounds, 0 ounces

Clothing size: Just moved into 9 month clothes.  Babies have the best deal ever.  A new wardrobe every three months… how do I get a piece of that action?

Sleep: Pretty good.  We had a big weekend last weekend, with some resulting fuss when Peanut got overtired and had a hard time remembering how to go to sleep.  But overall, bedtime is going well, and so are naps.  Knock wood.

Likes: Soccer!  Her grandparents discovered that if you roll a ball to her, she will kick it.  Actually kick it: she plants one little foot on the ground and swings the other at the ball.  And then she lifts up her foot, grabs it with her hand, and holds it out proudly as if to say, “Did you see this foot?”

Dislikes: We’re still struggling with bottles.  Sometimes, she eats with no fuss, but most of the time, it takes a good deal of… persuasion… to get the formula into the tummy.  And by persuasion, I mean: singing songs, walking up and down the hall, jiggling, shushing, and sometimes begging.  I have a whole bag o’ tricks, and I need them ALL.

Favorite Toys: These days, my little reader is all about the written word.  Or… okay… that’s not really true.  What she likes is to gnaw on the corners of the books.  But she’d rather play with a book than pretty much anything else.  If I hand her a toy and then open a story to read, the toy loses all appeal and she MUST HAVE THE BOOK, NOW, MOMMY.  She turns the pages, studies the cover, and then jams it into her mouth.  I’m calling it a win.  Little reader!

Milestones: Rollin’… rollin’… rollin’ on the blanket!  (Sung to the tune of “Proud Mary.”)

Quirks: Still in love with faces, but the love has gotten quite aggressive.  See above: she tried to tear out her godmother’s eyeball, she has also attempted to rip my lips off my face and to pull out chunks of her godfather’s beard.  Love shouldn’t hurt, Peanut.

Bring those sweet lips down here, Mommy.