nine months

nine months. this past month has been such a big growing and changing month for you, little panda. i can't believe what a big girl you are. i still miss that squishy newborn face and the tiny cries that were so loud i didn't understand how they came out of such a small body. but i'm so proud of you and all the things you've learned recently.

you started crawling at the beginning of march. i truly thought you'd crawl sooner but you're so spoiled and me and daddy still carry you around the house most of the time. but you started at a new daycare and the two babies there were on the move when you arrived and i guess you're not one to get left behind in the fray. a few days after you started crawling i noticed that you could pull up to your knees. and a week after that you started pulling up to stand. standing. i can't even bear it.

you are opinionated. like your daddy. (side eye). or like me. but i like to think you get all your glowing personality traits from me and your stinkerness from him. it seems only fair. you've always expressed your displeasure at activities that are not to your particular standards. but now you throw fits when you don't get your way. like real temper tantrums. i pity the fool that has to live with toddler you. oh wait. that's me.

the truth is your daddy had like one hundred teeth as a boy child and looked like a shark with rows of teeth. rows, girlfriend. every day i'm afraid that although you look just like me, you're going to get all yo daddy's teeth. at nine months you already have 4 teeth. three on the bottom and one of your front teeth. and you're working on your second front tooth. sweet little #rowenugget, i hope that all these early teeth isn't an omen. but if it is, we won't leave you looking like a shark. i promise.

panda pup, you are so fun to be around right now. i'm not going to lie. it's probably due in large part to you sleeping a little better and a little longer. happier family members all around. including you. you are constantly laughing, smiling, and hamming it up for anyone who will spare you a glance. your daddy is especially in love with you right now. there are daily arguments over whose turn it is to carry you around or play with you. apparently sharing you isn't our jam.

in harder news, we got a taste of our first real "stank face" as a family. and mommy's all messed up over it. mommy is really really proud to be from such a diverse family. and i hope that you grow up to be proud of your biracial beauty-ness. because dang honey, you are beautiful. just know the mean looks and whispers aren't about you. it's because people don't understand that love doesn't have to stick "to its own kind". you are so worthy of love. and it doesn't have anything to do with how beautiful you are.

you are the bright spot in our day. the apple of our eye. so squishable and cuddly and yet so strong and adventurous. you smile and wave and say "bah bah" ("bye bye") and almost every old person has to resist the urge to touch you all over your face. we are so proud to be your mama and papa.

eight months

panda babe,

lately, i can't help but constantly think about how blessed we are that you have had such a healthy little life so far. even though teething has been really tough for you, you've been a champ. the only sickness you've suffered is a minor cold. you've yet to have a fever and other than your super sensitive skin you are just the healthiest little chub ever. there are so many other mommies and daddies out there with babes that are desperate for healing. sometimes the only cure is heaven. your health is a gift from God, little one. don't ever take it for granted.

you are finally a mama's girl. you say mama and beg to be held. you continue to be the most highly co-dependent baby, which your daddy says you get from yours truly. but i don't care. it just means we get all the snuggles while daddy has to sit by his lonesome. you also say dada and it's pretty obvious that you actually understand that those are our names. i think you also make a tsk sound to mean #jamesthekitty. but let's face it. mama is finally your favorite and that's all that matters.

knock on wood. it is getting easier to take you places. for a long time, adventures in public turned into epic disasters where we'd have to leave early and then hole up for weeks for fear the uncontrollable screaming would recommence. this is not an exaggeration. but recently we've been getting comments like, is she always this good? which just feels like we've reached the pinnacle of parenting success. keep it up, #rowenugget! i mean....you still like to keep us on our toes with the random fit to remind us that you are a diva. but in general, you're happy and sweet.

we are so in love with you. the way you laugh at yourself. your fear of beards. morning smiles that make us feel like we've just seen a shooting star. how you try to contribute to conversations with your baby babble. watching you zoom in your walker and splash in your bath. slobber kisses and neck hugs. you are the best person in our family.