Nine Months.

Dear Bean,

Ok, you're almost to ten months now... but you had a busy 8th month and we need to celebrate it!

- Overall, you are as sweet as ever! You talk, squeal, grunt, laugh, giggle and smile all the time. You rarely cry... if you do, it's usually for a good reason and it's the most pitiful face ever! If it's not for a good reason, it's more like a whine and very short-lived. I love having such a good natured, chill little man!

(Thanks to cousin Rachel for taking this pic. And for cousins Sarah and Becca for hanging with me so much lately!! I love you gals.)

- You went to the lake for a weekend with mom's friends and their kids. You were fantastic the whole time and loved being around the big kids. On your first boat ride, you made the ultimate "wind in the face" face. I think you thought your head was going to fly off. Oh, and then you got tired and almost fell asleep on the way home. Whole trip was less than 25 minutes.

(Saying good morning to Dad from the lake since he couldn't come)

- You took your first plane rides to get to Maine and you were awesome! You celebrated your 9 month birthday in Maine. The second plane ride home wasn't the BEST three hours of your life, but you were so fantastic the other three flights of the trip that you pushed through and got over it very quickly. It didn't take you any time to adjust to life in Maine or back at home, but you DID wake up at 5:30am every day there. Totally understandable because the sun came up at 4:30am. Wow.

(MUFFIN. And look at that hair!)

- You played with live (rubber banded) lobsters in Maine. You went to Cabela's for the first legit time (first ACTUAL time was for an emergency diaper change on the way to San Antonio awhile back.) You discovered that dominos are your new favorite toy there, too. You loved standing at the edge of the ocean, but didn't like sitting in it. You ate sand.

(Wherein you you meet a lobster.)

(Wherein you eat a lobster.)

- You are still just sitting... no crawling. But the doc said that you were definitely strong enough to crawl as you were fighting off his attempts to look up your nose and in your ears. He said you just haven't decided that you want to yet. He also said, as you stared him down, that you were "thinking about things in there." You totally are. Thinking and/or judging... depends on who you ask. (Aunt Kate).

(See those raised eyebrows?! Judging.)

(And again! Now I'm judging cousin Sarah and her attempts to get a smile outta me.)

(Sitting. Loving being outside, as always.)

- You are 29" long (70th percentile), 20.5 pounds (50th percentile) and have a 15th percentile head. Should we start calling you "pinhead"?! You have rock solid abs from your pilates moves when you are sitting and laying down but your legs are little pudgies and I like to pat them.

- You started eating a few real foods in your 8th month... deli turkey, cheese, tortillas. Also small pieces of banana and other slimy fruits that you couldn't hold. You've hated avocado in all forms so far. It's the only thing you don't like. More on your "foods" at your 10 month update.

- You got your first Hot Wheels this month. You are such a dude.

- Favorite things: Dad, water in all forms, playing with your friends (especially Avery kissing you), flirting with ladies the world over, mirrors, puzzles, opening the cabinets in the bathroom before bath time.

(The wind is blowing Dad's shirt... he is not that puffy.)

- Reminders for Mama about next month's update (since half of the month is gone already): More about foods (including one that I'm NOT excited about), making demands, meeting a baby, eating out, Aunt Kate and her shenanigans, your favorite random "toys", etc.

(Wook at those chubby wittle wrists!)

(Holding a lobster, waiting for it to buzz.)

(Those pilates are paying off.)

You are the best my man. I love you!

Mama