{9 months}

Oh. My.  Where is the time going?!  I cannot believe Teddy is closing in on a year already.  He continues to be such a bright spot in our lives and we just couldn't imagine our family without him.

 He loves to play in drawers and cabinets ... and the dishwasher ... and in the bathroom (he has learned how to flush) ... and with the printer ...  He's getting better at understanding and following the "ah ah ah" rules and will stop what he's going for, I don't know, more than half the time?  

 Generally a happy, smiley guy, but able to express when he's unhappy with a situation or when he's ready to go back to mom.  Shows mild separation anxiety when he's with people he doesn't know well -- usually this just means he'll look at you a little longer before offering a smile (and the smile is generally contingent on mom or dad holding him at the time)

 getting good at waving, though sometimes his timing is a little off  and he'll wave after the person is gone :).  He's also mastering clapping for himself  ... or anyone else around

 loves his daddy and loves to jump back and forth between the two of us.  And of course he still thinks his sisters are absolutely awesome

He's very aware of and curious about his environment.  He loves to look at pictures and things hanging on the walls and often wants to be carried over to them so he can inspect them.  He loves Scott's guitars and seems to really enjoy music as he'll often stop and perk up his ears when he hears something he likes. He still loves to bang on the bongo drums or anything else that could be used as a drum.

Teddy continues to be one the move at all times.  He still crawls on one knee and one foot -- and can be incredibly fast!  He pulls up on anything and everything, can let go and lower himself down to the floor, cruises around furniture and transfers from one piece of furniture to another, even turning around to do so, he likes to walk holding someone's hands -- particularly if that someone is Millie.  He likes to be danced and bounced around and always wants to be right in the middle of the fun.  If the girls are wresting around on the floor he gets right in the middle of it!  He LOVES to be outside and play in the dirt, grass, mulch, whatever he can get his hands on.  He likes to swing, but I think he'd rather be down crawling around.  It will be nice when he gets a little older and I can give him a little more freedom to do that without having to worry about what he's going to put into his mouth.  Though, Millie ate plenty of dirt at this age and she turned out okay :). He has gotten the hang of the "I'm going to get you!" game and will now play along and crawl away at top speed squealing with delight as he goes.  A month ago he would crawl TOWARD his play partner with his battle cry in a hilarious game of chicken.  He never backed down and barreled his head right into the person he was playing with.  You were then supposed to scoop him up into a big hug and roll around on the floor with him :).  It was really cute and I'm kind of sorry he figured out the "real" game!

Teddy loves to babble and talk and giggle and squeal.  If his sisters are being loud he'll join right in.  He finally added mamamamama to his repertoire of babbling, so that made me happy :).  Scott thinks his first word will be "Millie" (boy would she love that!).  He likes to "sing" and sometimes we harmonize together with one sustained note (not the most beautiful music, I'm sure, but he likes it)

On the eating front, Teddy is still nursing full-time.  He'll take a bottle from Scott or my mom, usually, but never more than a couple of ounces at a time.  Even with my working the past few months, there just wasn't much need for him to take a bottle.  He has not yet taken to solid foods -- either pureed or finger foods.  Pretty much anything we get in his mouth is greeted with a wrinkled up face followed by a gag.  He likes to suck on apples, but didn't like applesauce.  I try really hard to start all the kids on real foods before processed (there is plenty of time for all that later in their lives ...), but Teddy has been so slow to accept any foods that I even broke down and bought some puffs.  I think he's actually eaten one.  Now when I give him one he just puts it back in the container.  Great for his fine motor skills, not so much for eating :).  BUT, he's growing and healthy and happy, so we aren't worried about it -- and neither is the Dr.  We try every couple of weeks and eventually he'll like what he gets.

For being the third child and the baby, he gets his picture taken A LOT.  He can thank our new camera for that :).

weight: 17 lb 2 ounces  -- 12% (up a little more than 2 pounds from 6 months)
height:  27 inches -- 7% (up and inch)
head: 17 inches -- 9%

a pretty proportionate little guy.  People still comment on his feet and hands (how big they are), so who knows, maybe he'll end up being a 'big' guy.  I'm in no hurry for him to grow any faster than he is though!
**just like at 6 months, Teddy is the same height as his sisters and still just slightly ahead of where Merrill was at 9 months (just 2 ounces) -- crazy how closely they are all tracking each other! **

Love my little bubby!