9 months

I know I'm supposed to be on a break for June but if I don't write this now, it won't get written and the only way I know any of Lucy's baby milestones is because I wrote them down here. 

Dear Jonah,

9 months. That seems so close to one year. I don't like it. But one way or another, you are close to toddlerhood. You can now stand on your own for a few seconds and can cruise all over the place with very little help.

You will take your walker wagon up and down the house over and over again and if anything gets in your way you just squawk until we come "save" you. I'm not sure if we'll make it another month without a walker on our hands.

You also love to climb. Not so much to get into things, although you do that plenty, but a lot of the time you just want to climb. You'll climb over my legs, turn around and go back. Or in and out of the sandbox or baby pool over and over again. You like to work hard.

Another hard working task you like is to pick up heavy things like daddy's shoe or a big toy and put in on a chair, then back to the floor, then back on the chair. You mastered stairs on our trip and within 24 hrs of being home figured out how to climb onto the window bench.

You've started signing, but still intermittently. Change is the most consistent but I've seen more as well. And you might now sign milk back but you definitely know it and start dive bombing me with your mouth wide open if I sign or say milk. And not really a sign but when you want to show us something you lift it way way up in the air over your head, even if we are right at your eye level.

You've started giving kisses and doing the shy hide in mommy's shoulder after smiling at someone new move. It's adorable. You still don't like other people to hold you though.

You are finally getting into books. You know how to do most of the pat the bunny pages and you'll sit for me or Lucy to read Sandra Boyton books too. Since its pretty rare for you to be sitting still, I'm enjoying this new pastime and the rest it brings.

You still adore your sister. I had to bring up the baby gate because you've staggered your naps and you kept trying to crawl into her room while she was sleeping. You love her! You love us! We love you!