Olivia at 9 Months

Dear Olivia,

Today you are nine months old. And I cannot believe it. This past month has been somewhat challenging, but it has been more than a joy.


You have started babbling quite a lot, and have stopped the cooing that I love so much to hear. When I used to give you kisses on your neck or your face, you used to coo in delight, with a simple “ah” as if you were telling me you love the attention. Instead, you now smile and will instead grab my hair for all its worth. When I try to pull my head away from yours, I often feel a hard yank on my hair and scalp, so sometimes I will hold your hands while I kiss you so that my hair will not be pulled. Continuing on with the babbling, your big thing right now is to go “Da da da da da da da”…over and over again. It’s so incredibly cute. And, sometimes when I want you to do it, I just say it to you and then you repeat it. You are amazing, little girl.


We pulled out the jumper because you are such an incredible kicker, and we thought you would love to bounce. You aren’t too sure what to do with yourself while you’re in it – as the first time proved this. You just stood up straight-legged, and would not for the life of you bend those legs. The other night you were in your excersaucer, and you were jumping up and down, so I pulled out the jumper again. First, you just sat there like the last time. Then you bent your legs and turned yourself in another direction. Then you stood up straight and appeared to attempt to take a few walking steps. I kept clapping my hands and yelling “jump, Olivia, jump” which drew your sister over to us to see what the fuss was all about. She knew how that thing worked, so she grabbed the side of it and started yelling “jump jump jump” at you while making it go up and down. So, then what happened? You started jumping. It wasn’t anything really to write home about, but there were quite a few times when you would bounce 3 to 4 times and then suddenly stop yourself.

Your father has said that you are drawn to me. I know this is probably true because I spend a lot of time with you and I am always so happy to be with you. Whenever I am not in the room you turn and look for me, and if I am in the room, you don’t stop staring at me and trying to get my attention. I like to spend a lot of time with you because I know that you are soon going to be off doing your own thing and I am trying to enjoy my Olivia that is still so babylike as long as I can.


Yes, you are growing, and you are doing new things. Though I do want you to stay like a baby, we are trying hard to get you to crawl. We have made a lot of attempts over the last month to get you moving. None of these have been successful so far. First, your father decided that we should probably give you more tummy time. You are okay for a few minutes, but then you start crying and are easily distracted and not sure what to do with yourself. You are crying for someone to pick you up because you are out of your realm. One night I read something online to put you on your tummy and place a towel under your arms and lift you up so you appear to be crawling. While that was pretty cool to see (because you appeared to be crawling), you had had it with me and that towel, and you ended up throwing up because you got so upset. So yesterday I read another story that sounded like it would be good to try. Since you sit up now and play without issues, you sometimes will lung out for toys in front of you that you can’t reach. I usually move them to you. No more. The lung part of the whole thing is supposed to get you to the crawling position. Last night we did that, and it proved to be successful, as you lunged out for toys and I did not help you. You looked like you were going to get there soon…However, after one of your many lunges, you pushed back to your sitting position and it was a little too hard. You fell backwards and hit your head. Then you started crying and wouldn’t stop and gave me the evil eye after your father decided to comfort you.


We have also started giving you finger foods and people food. Your favorite so far has been banana bread and oranges, but you also adore the cherry puffs. I love to hear you eat. You are so cute with no teeth, munching just like a person who has them…those gums just smack together and make such a cute sound. I guess you could say that you are a loud eater, but you definitely are enjoying the food we give you. As for your sleeping, you are somewhat intermittent as to how well you do at night. Some nights you will sleep ten hours straight. Some nights you will wake up once or twice. The nights that you sleep better are the one’s where you’ve gotten two naps that day. The night’s that are not good are when you take only one nap. I think you need your two naps, baby girl.


You’ve definitely shown us that you like being a part of our family, and we are so happy that you are a part of it. Your sister, if she could say the actual words, would tell you how much she enjoys catering to you and bringing and sharing her toys with you, and that she cannot wait until you are walking and talking so that you two can play together. Little Livey, you brighten our every day and we are enjoying watching you grow. Your sunny disposition has a way of always making things better, and happier. I love each moment I spend with you.

Love,
Mama