9 Months Update

This is my favorite photo as of late. I was sitting cross-legged and she scaled up me and balanced herself standing. She held it for so long that I freaked out with excitement. She saw the look on my face and immediately started clapping! I caught it all on camera- excellent! Shortly thereafter, her knees buckled and she fell and rolled over on the floor. I got that on camera too, but it's not as pretty as this one.

RIGHT NOW...
My favorite thing about you is: Wow. It's hard to think of just one thing. I love to watch you chew. Your cheeks are like chipmunk's and you're still toothless! I love that you are experiencing separation anxiety. It's heart-warming and breaking at the same time to hear you pout when I leave the room or I'm out of your sight. I love that when we put you down in your crib now that you immediately roll over to your tummy and get comfy before sleeping. I love that you've exhibited a true belly laugh- and at the silliest thing! (Me slapping a pillow against the bed.) I love to watch you clap. AND my most favorite thing of all right now is watching you stand up and balance yourself. You're such a big girl!! Oh yeah, I also love that when you wake up from a nap you're a little sweaty and curls form in the hair on the back of your head.
The most frustrating thing about parenting is: Trying to feed you when you've decided that you've had enough and spit it out at me. What a mess. All you have to do, you know, is close your lips....that might work. Also, it's becoming a chore to watch you when you're crawling around. You have a knack for getting into things that you're not supposed to ie: the dogs' water bowl, the space heater, the toilet!!! You have T-O-Y-S ya know?
What I'm most looking forward to is: I'm probably going to regret typing this, but I look forward to you walking. I can't wait to see the little toothless, hairless giant on two wheels instead of four. I am also waiting to hear you say "Ma Ma"- When Audrey? When?
The biggest relief would be: If I could clean the house from top to bottom. I realize this has nothing to do with you, but it's driving me nuts and throwing my rhythm off! Also, I'm really really behind on the scrapbooking. I have a gazillion pictures of you and I've done nothing with them.

Clapping. She claps when I get her food ready. She claps when I sing to her. She claps when I get her crackers out. She's a clapper.

At your last appointment the doctor weighed you (23lbs) and measured you (30 1/2") and said that you were the exact height and weight of a 14 month old. You're still a giant.
One of the funny things you've done lately: I was on the computer and looked over at you in your playpen. You had taken your pants off! "How in the world did you take your pants off?" I asked. Not a minute later, you looked at me playfully, picked up your recently shed pants, and threw them out of the playpen! I couldn't believe it. You made me laugh out loud.
Good God I hope you're not a stripper!