SO BIG

Yesterday was Annabelle's 9 month doctor appointment and I can't believe how big she is getting.  When we were walking back to see the doctor, we passed a brand new little baby, that could have been no more than a week old.  It is so hard for me to believe Annabelle was ever that small.  Even in looking at pictures of her from those first couple weeks it is hard for me to remember.  It is as if those early days we existed in a fog of new mommy-hood.  These days Annabelle is a very busy girl.  She is extremely aware of voices and people.  She loves to read and will spend much of her playtime opening and closing the pages of her board books feeling textures and analyzing colors.  She still loves to stand and jump - and all the better if there is music on for her to sing to - ahhhhh!  She continues to babble with lots of dada's, mama's, baba's.  Smiles come easily for her and nothing makes me happier than hearing her little belly laugh.  Speaking of bellies, she finally has grown one, thanks to a large array of solid foods.  So far there are no foods she doesn't like with her favorites being bananas, greek yogurt, prunes, and carrots.  What she does not like is when people eat or drink in front of her, so we have been giving her a sippy cup to experiment with while we drink our morning coffee.  She hasn't quite figured out how to use it, but likes to shake it up and down and chew on the nossel.  A. has two teeth on the bottom that appeared quite abruptly at around 8.5 months.  White Fang Ellis loves to test them out biting down on her spoon at meals or on our fingers if we dare try to feel them.  She is still a good sleeper for the most part (provided new teeth aren't coming in).  She now sleeps on her stomach and loves to launch herself around the crib.  She also has made a game out of taking her pacifier in and out of her mouth - something she seems very proud to be able to do herself.  Yesterday she weighed in at 16 lbs 14 oz. Everyday I am more and more amazed at our little person.