9 Months!

As a gift to me, when my babies all turn 9 months old, they start saying "Mama".  It's so weird, each one of them did it, and Declan followed in his sister's footsteps!  He now says "Mama" when he wants me, and it's the sweetest sound I ever heard.  Aside from his laughter, that's just as sweet!
 

Which bring me to his eating, which is out of control and everything and all the time!  Well, not all the time, but it feels like it.  He literally will each every fruit and vegetable that we eat, and he has yet to turn away anything.  He's going to be such a big strong boy!  So thankful that he is a good little eater.

So yesterday, he was a baby who learned to crawl.  Today, he became a maniac.  There's always that day.  That one day where they realize that moving equals freedom.  Not just "Oh, now I can go over here and get my toy.", but something clicks and they realize, "OH, now I can crawl in the kitchen and open the cabinets and pull out the dish towels while simultaneously bringing the candles down on top of myself!".  Or "Now I can crawl into the bathroom when the lights out and somehow get ON TOP of my sisters potty seat!".  I think this phenomenon is called independence.  And I think it not only continues, but gets worse?  Something about borrowing the car later? I don't know, I don't think that far ahead.  Blah, blah, baby proofing, cabinet protectors, closing doors, gates are locked, outlets are covered.  And life just a got a whole lot busier for mama!  More eyes, that's what I need. (Or maybe more ears for the girls? Either would be helpful!)

Notice in these picture how he is suddenly on the run! :)

He takes 2 naps a day, and goes to bed when his sister's do.  Praise Jesus. :)  He also has been falling to sleep by himself in the crib lately, which is awesome!  (Rather than falling asleep while nursing, and being placed in the crib already asleep.  Apparently that doesn't help him with self soothing skills in the future.  But my plan is to nurse him through college, so I think it'll work out. ;))

We started taking out all the toys that the girls loved, and I love watching him get a kick out of them too.  He is into interactive things now, so the buttons, light up toys, singing toys, little phones are all big hits right now.

(He was fighting nap in this picture, that's why he looks like such a sleepy boy.)

One of his favorite things to do currently is to clap in his high chair like a big proud boy.  He just claps and laughs and giggles because he is so happy that he can clap.

He has the cutest little cheeks you could every want to kiss, and his big pout is nothing short of edible.  He has the happiest little disposition. Our sweet little munchkin.