Nine Months

This month you have begun to realize that books have value beyond their flavor and consistency. You are beginning to enjoy have books read to you. A particular favorite is "The Very Hungry Caterpillar" by Eric Carle. I can read it over and over and it never seems to get dull. Sometimes you will quietly sit and listen. Other times you feel the need to participate, talking, pointing, turning pages. You also enjoy "Where is My Cat?" by Eric Carle but are not as impressed by Dr. Seuss' ABC's, I think it may be a bit long-winded for you.

This month we got you a kitty and you love her. You love her so much you want to eat her. You have actually managed to bite her tail once and she was not terribly impressed. Amazingly she still puts up with you to an impressive degree, she hasn't scratched you once though she has had provocation. She endures your less than gentle caresses and for this you love her. She is so soft and makes such interesting noises and moves all on her own. You just want to bury your face in her fur.

I have recently realized that you have one heck of a lot more hair than you used too. You may even be needing a hair cut soon. It is still soft, especially when it is freshly clean, and I still love rubbing my cheek on your head. You also give off an amazing amount of heat, which has gained you the nickname "The Hand Warmer". You could be a comic book super hero rescueing innocents from cold hands. You also enjoy my hair, which has gotten quite long again. When you are nursing or tired you will sometimes gently play with it in a way that is very endearing. Other times you give a good hard yank and like to chew on it, not so endearing. I think you like your fuzzy blue blankey so well because it remainds you of mommy's hair or the kitty's fur. You bury your face in it and giggle delightedly. You chew on it and slobber on and enjoy it so much that I am glad I could make you so happy.
You have developed a slightly disturbing habit, when I tell you no in an angry voice you just look at me and smile real big. "Mommy, that voice you are using is just so funny. That word 'no' is just so silly. Don't you know I'm the baby?". You occasionally get carried away playing and bite me, just like a puppy, I say "No, Layden" You look up, smile big, and bite me again. Right now the no voice may just be a new and funny sounding voice but soon you will find it less funny when it is accompanied by a swat on the bottom.
You are really enjoying the work that daddy has been doing with power tools. You will just sit near him and watch as he saws a board in half and drills holes in it. The when he gets up you want to try too. That sawing didn't look to hard you seem to be thinking as you reach for the saw. And when ever daddy turns on the drill you have to make a bit of noise, just to make sure that drill knows it isn't the only noisy one around here. You have started to reach for daddy on occasion when mommy is holding. This makes both of us quite happy, I am so glad you love your daddy because I think he is pretty great too. You also will reach for Lynda on occasion which thrills her. You like Lynda, and Lynda thinks you are pretty great too.
Lynda, you and me (and Troy and his friend Robert) all went to the Nez Perce County fair in Lewiston last night. You enjoyed all the pretty lights and you like the smaller animals. You weren't so sure about the cows, they were just a little bit big. We sat down at the stage and listened to a show by The Standards. You seemed to enjoy it in a serious sort of way. You stood on our laps watching them intently. You even joined in on the last couple of songs, singing along, helping them make lots of noise. So very very cute. You were so well behaved, even at 10:30 when you were hungry and tired. I don't know why I have been blessed with such a cute, intelligent, incredible, lovable little boy but I am thankful every day that I have been. For every minute of frustration and exhaustion you have brought me, you have brought me hours of love, happiness and even entertainment.