9 Months!

Dear Benjamin,
Today you are 9 months old. I spent some time today over some of your old blog posts and videos of when you were just a peanut. Soon, you'll no longer be a baby -- you'll be a toddler. It seems with every day, you're more aware of your world. You crawl all over the house. You "tinker" in the corner with your toys (your dad coined the phrase tinker). You giggle at the cat and the dog. You get quiet when you're tired. You sometimes sleep 9 hours straight. Two weeks ago, you weaned yourself and only take a bottle now. You're quite digging peaches but can't stand broccoli. You get impatient when we feed you because you just want to feed yourself but you end up making a mess and the dog happy.. You seem to know that you're supposed to smile at the camera now where as before you'd just stare and wonder what you're suppose to do. Gone is the blue bath tub -- you're taking baths like a big boy. Also gone is your toothless grin -- you have two bottom teeth and by all the drooling and chewing, I bet you'll have two more by your 10th month.

You're a little traveling -- my guess you get this from your father. Your dad loves carrying in his backpack. You've been carried all over Bend in this pack and even Portland. You survived a long trip in the car with the company of your monkey, bunny and bear. We stopped to visit your girlfriend Sarah and you played with all of her toys while she ate her lunch. You hung out in IKEA and ate French Fries, mash potatoes and Swedish meatballs. You took long naps and watched the gorgeous Oregon scenery pass you by.

You're becoming attached to your blue blankey and white rabbit. You cuddle up next to both when you're tired.

What a month, my little man. I can't wait for next month!

Love,
Momma