Unfathomable...she's 9 months old!

Dear Aida,

Sometimes it seems like just yesterday that you were a screaming precious little newborn, and then at other times it seems like a lifetime ago. You turned 9 months old yesterday and the fact that you'll be 1 in only three months completely blows my mind!

When your Daddy and I found out we were having a girl, one of our first thoughts was about how nice it would be to have a quiet, delicate presence in our house to balance out Evan's 100% boy energy. You have definitely not turned out to be quiet! You have such a loud voice and you are never afraid to use it. I no longer have any concerns that your big brother will overshadow you. You're opinionated and always let it be known when you're not happy. But you're also a sweetie that loves to cuddle and looks like a natural holding a princess wand.

You seem to be the most opinionated about food. You've always been a very "demanding"nurser, but you've taken it to a whole new level with baby food. If I'm not shoveling food in your mouth at the speed of light, you slam your hand on the table and yell, which is why we've started teaching you sign language! You are all business at meal times and lately you've been showing so much interest in what we're eating, that this week we started giving you table food. You've had chicken, cheese, and various bread products, and you are loving the ability to feed yourself.

You acquired a new toy this month, a play kitchen. A friend in our house church is letting us borrow it and you love it. Of course, your brother seems to be living out a repressed, unfulfilled need for a kitchen because he seems to love it as much as you do! But, it's really cute to watch him play with you and show you what buttons to push, and maybe that's half of the reason you love it so much.

You also have a new game that you like to play. You throw things off of your exersaucer or high chair and laugh as we pick them up. Every time I see you do it I'm shocked by how deliberate you're being and I'm reminded of how you're growing up. But, you've listened to my request and seem to be staying a "baby" much longer than Evan did. He was walking by 10 months, so he was a toddler before he turned one. You're still trying to crawl. You just haven't quite figured out that you can be mobile, but it's only a matter of time.

I've already started to plan your 1 year birthday party, and that will be here before I know it. Thank you, Aida, for being so cuddly, and adorable, and opinionated. We wouldn't change a thing! We love you!

*Edited to add - your 9 month stats...19 lbs 14 oz and 28 inches. You are in the 50-75th percentile for both*


(pictures are all from Aida's last photo shoot)