9 Months Old

On May 17th Luke turned 9 months old and went for his 9 month well visit.  The appointment went well.... he weighed 15.10 (off the charts small... seriously, not even registering on the charts - it said <1%).  He was 28 inches tall (the 49th percentile) and his head measures in the 22nd percentile.  Tiny all around... not surprising in the least because that is just how Chase is built.

He's a little peanut but I love it!  He still fits very comfortably into his 3-6 month clothes and I'm a little ashamed for him to admit that there are a few 0-3 month things he can still wear.  We definitely get lots and lots of use out of his things!!  I have a few size 2 shoes that I've been dying to on him but they still look ridiculous because they are so big... I think he's going to be in newborn/size 1 for a good while.

Just before he turned 9 months old he completely weaned himself... I worked so hard to not let it happen but it happened and there wasn't anything I could do to prevent it.  I was sad but am over it now.  Kind of nice to be free again! :)  He started getting around right before turning 9 months old... he would pull his knees up tight and then lunge forward, then repeat those steps.  If he wanted to go faster he would roll and rotate, roll and rotate until he got where he wanted to go.  I knew he had the skills to crawl but he just hadn't put them together.  Now, just a few weeks later he is crawling every where... there are no limits to where this child can go now.  Because of that we have now completely cleaned out all of the boys toys from the living room and we're just days away from having to put our gate back up at the bottom of the stairs.  We lowered his crib mattress down to the lowest level because he is also just moments away from pulling up. 

He has learned how to use a sippy cup but still loves snuggling to take his bottles.  He is a master at his pincer grasp and loves to feed himself.  I have not found anything he won't eat.  He went through a short phase where he did not care for peas and every time I would feed them to him he would cry and cry.  I was determined that he was going to eat what I gave him and sure enough, after a few times of him fussing through his meal he realized he was not going to win that battle and now eats peas just like he eats sweet potatoes.  I've started giving him more and more table food and he loves it! 

These smiles make me so happy!!  Charles and I were just saying a few days ago just how good he is... he smiles and laughs at everything, is so easy going, sleeps so great and loves riding in the car.  We certainly have been so blessed with such a great little one!!  Right after he turned 9 months old he was put on his first antibiotic... well the first one since the ones he was given in the NICU.  He had been congested and had a nasty cough for a few weeks and when he just wasn't getting any better I took him to see Dr. Shrouds.  Sure enough, ear infection and sinus infection.  He has done great with the medicine and seems to actually like it!  Even through having those infections you would never have known it... he is so happy!!

All of these things just remind me of how quickly he has grown up... he really is no longer a little baby!  The summer is here now and before I turn around it is going to be time to plan his one year birthday party.  I don't think I'm ready for that but ready or not it's coming and he's growing up.