9 Months Old....Already?

I feel like it was just yesterday I gave birth to this beautiful boy. I think I must say this each time he turns another month old. But really, 9 months already!? I can't help but think he is just 3 months away from his 1st birthday. Time needs to slow down!

Owen's got quite the personality these days. He enjoys talking all the time...saying "mmmmma" or "dadadada". Just the other day I found him STANDING up in his crib saying "mmmmma" over and over again. He will just babble on and on and on and it's the cutest thing ever. When he gets really excited about something not only will he shake and roll his hands and feet simultaneously, he will also shrug his shoulders while making quick breaths in and out. It's hilarious!

Owen is crawling around like crazy! I think I might have a heart attack real soon because he's always standing up along the sharp edges of our coffee table or speakers. He has already taken some pretty decent falls and bonks his head often. I don't like this part about being a mommy!

Owen gets smarter each day. We are learning various signs such as "more" or "drink" or "all done." He smiles when I sign "drink" and then I know he needs a drink. Just this morning he was on the bed with Tyson and I and Tyson had his eyes closed; probably trying to fit in a nice nap. To our surprise, here comes Owen crawling carefully across the bed until he reaches Tyson. Then he begins to poke his eyelids and pull them open. When Tyson doesn't respond he begins to pat him on his face. It took us a while to realize that he was trying to open Tyson's eyes so he would play with him. It was so cute!

Owen's "stats"
Weight: 18 pounds 14 ounces - 40th to 50th percentile
Height: 29 1/2 inches - 87th percentile

Favorite Foods: anything we are eating: mac and cheese, mashed potatoes and gravy, pasta, apples, strawberries, graham crackers, yogurt, peas, chicken, roast beef, and cherrios. He has 4 teeth! Oh and we found out he loves butter...probably thanks to Grandma Jill. :)

Naptimes: He is down to 2 naps now. I enjoyed the 3 while they lasted. Now he naps for about an hour and a half in the morning and has another hour to two hour nap in the afternoon.

Nursing: I am still nursing Owen about 4 to 5 times a day. He doesn't nurse at night anymore. :)

Sleep time: Owen continues to go to bed around 7 or 8 (at the latest) and wakes up anywhere between 6:30 and 7:30am. (lately 6:30 which I'm not very happy about). However, he is sleeping through the night now that his ear infections are gone. He also does a great job putting himself to sleep with little help from mommy or daddy. We are so proud of him!

Owen loves to swim and play with other baby friends. He also loves to watch Baby Einstein on occasion which I don't object to. :) He loves both his mommy and daddy and can't stand when either one of us leaves. We were able to have Grandma Jill come visit the other weekend and Owen absolutely LOVED playing with her. He loves all of his family and I try hard to show him our family book often so he'll remember everyone's faces.

He continues to be so sweet and sensitive. I love these qualities about him. He's determined when he wants something and doesn't give up. It amazes me that I can already see these characteristics in him. I love it. I love being his mom and I love that I get to love him everyday.

We love you baby boy!!!! Happy 9 months!