All of a sudden you seem so grown up. You are saying "mamamama" and "dadadada" and waving goodbye. Sometimes we can get you to clap your hands, but it takes some prompting.

You have figured out how to climb onto the coffee table, and as soon as you can get up onto the couch—where my computer lives—I'm in trouble. You are steady on your feet—you've been standing unassisted for a few weeks—but have yet to take a single step on your own. When we are out of reach you lean forward as far as you can and then put your hands down and crawl to us. You crawl two different ways: regular and bear crawl.

Today you discovered how to use the railing to climb down the stairs of the deck. You are cautious yet determined. When your papa put a bowl of cherry tomatoes at the bottom of the stairs, you figured out how to get down twice as fast. Funnily enough, you protest when we put tomatoes on your tray, but you love to eat them straight out of the garden. Blueberries are your favorite.

You are still putting anything and everything in your mouth, and have discovered that you can use your teeth to bite of bits of cardboard. You have cut six teeth but the top four are still coming in. You absolutely love my toothbrush, and it's about time we got you your own.

You are a social butterfly! You will crawl up to any mama or big kid, and climb up on their leg. If there's music playing you immediately start bouncing or swinging your arm to the beat. We took you to your first concert last night—Jerrybash in Pioneer Park—and you were definitely in your element.

Lately, you've been going to sleep smiling up at me and it absolutely melts me. One trait that will serve you well, my sweet girl, is that you are incredibly good-natured. You are trusting and happy and easy going. We are lucky to love you.

nine // eight // seven // six // five // four // three // two // one