Dear Eisley

Sister Pants,

Nine months!  It feels like the last big milestone before you hit the one year mark, and I cannot believe that is only three months away.

Your teeth that have yet to make an appearance have been teasing us and taking hours off of our sleep for months now.  The ridges of your top left (looking at you, it's the right side) tooth broke through for the second and final time three days ago.  I can see the one right next to it beneath the gums, but it hasn't come through just yet.

Despite the other three teeth that seem far less eager to make an appearance, but have made their imminent presence known, sleep has been grand the last two weeks.  And by grand, I mean the best it has been since you gave up the sleeping thing at a month old; you only wiggle around 12 times at night, instead of fifty.  You seem to be sleeping just a little more soundly.  I think I would give my right arm to have this continue.  I'd give my energy, or my eyeballs, or my well-rested self, but those were taken long ago.

And while we're marking improvements down: your car riding tolerance has improved vastly...under two conditions.  The car must be moving and the music must be playing...loudly.  If it were completely up to you, you would have the driver singing to you at all times.  I can only make this happen if there is no one else in the car.  We'll be putting your sit still tolerance at an extreme test this month with a car ride to the airport, a plane ride, and then your first cruise!  I'm not as nervous as I was with Ruby's first plane ride (and this is your second!) because you broke me in on the whole kid having a meltdown while shopping and in crowded public place thing.  It happens.

You have a strong preference for me over anyone else, and if anyone else has you, you insist that they be moving at all times.  You have a bit of an issue with strangers getting too close to you if I am not holding you (grocery cart or stroller), and you're quick to pout your lip and start the waterworks.

You are quite quickly (and rudely!) joining the ranks of your sister.  Pictures are about to be a thing of the past, because you are far more interested in exploring the world around you.  With that devilish grin, the one that says catch me if you can, you and your dimpled smile are off as you squeal in anticipation of someone catching up with you.  You can crawl on all fours, but the wood floors inhibit your desire to-so it's usually a quick sliding caterpillar motion instead.  You often like to rock back and forth on your hands and feet, and you stare at the couch and other possible assisting furniture with longing.  You want to pull up and stand, but you haven't quite fit it all together just yet.  You can go from a crawl to a sit, a sit to a crawl, and you can just about maneuver however you wish to get something you want.

You occasionally sign for milk; this usually happens when you are most distraught and your little fists join your tears for a last resort.  (Because you are staaaarving.)  You have also waved bye-bye but don't enjoy doing it on command.  Your daddy taught you how to stick out your tongue, but you first must remember that your tongue is actually in your mouth by pulling it out with your fingers.

You have had pasta, bread, fruit, cheese, and puffs this month.  You also ate part of a meatball. Well, and dog food but I didn't mark that as your favorite in the baby book (though I should have!).  You like to finger feed yourself solid foods, but remain pretty anti puree foods.  We're working on your sippy cup skills, too.

Along with the food in your mouth, you put everything else that you may possibly find on the floor in there.  We're talking microscopic things that make me question my sweeping skills.

We're in a transition with naps - you really think you only need two, but your body isn't quite ready for it.  You take a short nap around 11:00 each morning, and then you take a much longer one around 2:00 (this is new...and exciting!)  You are trying to get rid of the one right around dinner, which is going to throw me for a loop again.  I think I would rather you take one and go to bed later, however, you seem to sleep deeper through the night without one.

You continue to be happiest while being held, nursing, and screeching new vowel sounds, or banging on something in your vicinity.  You have enjoyed the Christmas decorations, especially the jingle bell reindeer ornament.  You have also successfully broken one of them.

Other things you love: bedtime stories, pulling Ruby's hair and anything else connected to Ruby, making people laugh, using your walker, eating paper, and getting into the dog food bowl.

I can't stop thinking about our lives a year ago - so excited for Christmas, but I was so anxious to meet the baby that I shared my body with - and now you are here, ready to celebrate your first Christmas.  We have so much joy and so much to be thankful for this season.  Thank you for lighting up our lives - you are such an amazing addition.

Love you more than words can say.

xoxo,
Momma