9 months old!

Our happy boy was 9 months old on the 11th! I cannot believe I have to start thinking about his first birthday celebration already! We knew that we had a pretty alert, active guy, but since he became mobile, this has magnified! He is non-stop. Seriously. We go from pulling up on one thing to pulling up on another, taking a tumble, getting back up, racing over to play with something that he should not be playing with (i.e. he loves plastic bags and cords of all kinds), and then back to pulling up somewhere else, all over and over again. It is exhausting. From the stories my mom tells me, Luke is much like me as a baby -- all over the place and stubborn! (I also developed quite a little mischievous streak as a toddler...is that to come??) We love him, though!

Here are our 9 month updates:

• Weight: 21 pounds, 2 ounces (65th percentile, he's slimming down); Length: 28 1/2 inches (50th percentile); Head Circumference 45th percentile
• Wears 9 month and 12 month sizes
• Feeds himself, has an excellent pincer grasp with both hands
• Babbles constantly, lots of da-da, but doesn't quite understand it as a word for Daddy yet
• Loves to bang and wave toys
• CRAWLS! This is such a mixed blessing. I love the progress as he continues to grow and develop but, seriously, will I ever get anything done again?? You cannot leave his side for a second, mostly because he has no regard for danger. He loves his new found freedom a little too much...
• Pulls to a stand on everything that appears to offer him some kind of support. I mean anything and everything that is taller than he and appears stable.
• Diaper changing is a challenge to say the least. He rolls over and twists and turns and makes it near impossible. I have not changed a diaper on the changing table in weeks, had to move to the floor. Last week I was changing a dirty diaper when he succeeded in rolling over and getting poop all up the back of his leg. I yelled for reinforcements and Allen came in to find me holding him in a wheelbarrow position so no poop got on the carpet, with Luke propped up on his elbows and looking up at him like, "what is mom doing?" Ok, so looking back now, I guess it was funny...
• Claps hands. He loves the attention he gets for this, too.
• First tooth!
• Answers to his name most of the time.
• Loves to play with cords of all kinds, but especially loves my hairdryer.
• Has started to fuss when I leave the room, but only for a brief second, and usually only at home. He continues to be happy in pretty much anyone's care. A very social little guy. He especially loves his "big sisters" at our babysitter's house and all the love and attention they give him.
• Takes baths in the big tub! No more little tub.
• Still eats oatmeal cereal twice a day and an assortment of pureed foods, but also loves his new finger foods: softened cheese, lightly toasted wheat bread, unsalted rice cakes, banana, canned pear/peaches/mandarin oranges in their own juice, and little tiny pieces of shredded chicken
• HAPPY! Everywhere we go, especially when he is sitting in the cart at Target or the grocery, I get stopped several times for people to comment on what a happy baby he is. He sits in the cart and rocks and claps hands and smiles at those around us.

Some of our favorite recent pictures:

Clapping hands with Daddy

So much easier to get to the toys if you just climb into the toy basket.

I like this one because he has been playing in his jumperoo for months now, but this pictures illustrates his progress. See how he reaches up for the rooster way at the top?

We praise God for our happy, healthy 9 month old!