Gianna: 9 months

Dear Gianna,

This week, I washed and stored the Tiny Gym. This is the playmat that you laid on when you were an immobile baby. It was with a heavy heart that I put this mat away. Another physical reminder of your babyhood...poof! Even your daddy remarked that it was "sad" that it was time to put away the Tiny Gym. But you do not think of yourself as an immobile baby, and you get quite upset with me if I lay you down on the floor. You would rather be sitting up so that you can work on crawling. You are trying so hard to crawl. You rock on your hands and knees, hoping to move along.  Sometimes you fall forward on your face, and you cry. Sometimes you just get so frustrated because your feet get stuck underneath your bum and you don't know how to move them out of the way. Even more frustrating for you is to be stuck in one place while the rest of us move about the house freely.

Your first tooth popped up fully this week. It has been here awhile, but it is now up and out for everyone to see. Your brother had his "front gate" teeth at 9 months. Yes, I am comparing. I'm afraid that you're going to hear a lot of comparisons. I just can't help but think of the differences (and similarities) between you two. I am sorry that I don't know how much you weigh, or how long you are, or other physical stats right now at your 9 month birthday. I know that with Bode, I knew every little detail every day of his first year. This is just a small downfall of being baby #2, Gianna. At least  I am taking lots of photos of you. Some of your cousins, who share baby #2 status with you, did not get the photo history that their older sibling did as a baby. I promise that I am taking photos of you every week (sometimes, every day!).

You love playing Bode's piano.  You do not bang your fists onto the keys. You are so serious. You sit up straight and place your fingers out straight on the keys to play.  You look like you know what you are doing!

I feel bad that I don't have the time for you that I would like to have.  It seems like I spend my days running around the house, trying to "get things done" in between your and Bode's diaper changes and feedings. I really don't like this about our life, and I'm trying to figure out how to change it.  You and your brother are on different nap schedules. So this means that we do have about an hour or more alone together. I usually spend the time playing with you, or just talking to you while we eat lunch together. Or taking photos and other silly things like this:

And I do love our mornings waking up together. You always smile when you wake up and you're always in a good mood. Holding you and hugging you first thing in the morning is the best way to wake up.  I always hand you off to your daddy in the morning, because I really think that he needs to hold his soft, warm baby first thing in the morning, too (and it gives me the opportunity to get my other morning "must have," a cup of coffee).

By the way, you are suddenly coy with Daddy.  He will smile at you and try to make you laugh, and you will duck your head down, or look away for a second before returning his smile. He can always get you to smile when he asks, "How big is Gianna?" Just so you know, this was "my" game with you before he made it "his" game with you. But I will let Daddy have it, because I like hearing him ask, "How big is Gianna?" and enjoy watching you smile when he says, "So big!"



You are now officially 9 months old. Put another way, you are 39 weeks old. And I can't help but think that this is how long you "baked" before joining us in the real world. And just like similar feelings I had during my pregnancy with you, sometimes it feels like you've been with us forever, and other times, I am surprised that you are really here. But every time I look at you, I am always, always, always so very happy that you are here with us.
Love,
Mommy