Dear Ben,
You are nine months old and once again I can't believe how quickly time is passing. You got to celebrate your first Valentine's Day last month and you sure are my sweetie. You've hit a few milestones in the past two months. The biggest? You are finally sleeping through the night! You also cut your first tooth and got your first (and hopefully only) double ear infection and you are pulling yourself up on everything. You've learned how to use your knees to crawl, but still mainly do the army crawl because it's just faster... and you have places to be! It's been a busy month! When I took you to the doctor for your ear infection you weighed 21 pounds and 11 ounces. You're following your big brothers footprints quite nicely!
What do I love most about you? Where to begin...
You're super smiley all the time and you have the cutest little dimple. You have the best laugh and are super ticklish. You're love to snuggle and be close, especially to me. You are a total mama's boy. You're easy going and don't make a lot of noise. I frequently put you in your high chair with the intention of feeding you and then get busy with the demands of someone else only to realize you are still just sitting there, waiting patiently, fifteen minutes later.
We call you the human metal detector because if there is something to be found on the floor, you will find it. I can't tell you how many times I look down to see you chewing on something only to find chunks of chicken and pasta from dinner the previous night or wrappers or dirt. Last week you ate your first stink bug (ewwww) and then spit it up! Totally gross!
You adore your brothers and they love you! You follow them absolutely everywhere they go and they love for you to chase them when you are in the walker. You love that thing, but hate all other contraptions that I try to put you in. Mostly you just love to move freely.
You nap pretty consistently and you're also a good car traveler (phew!) You don't get too upset when your schedule is jostled around. You're pretty much a typical third born. Interestingly, you seem to get easily overstimulated... and let me tell you... you live in an overstimulated house! So I guess you are learning to adapt. You aren't loud about it and it doesn't seem to bother you, but you are very alert and aware of things going on around you. You tend to get fidgety and you pinch and pull hard on things. It is sometimes difficult for you to fall asleep and you tend to be a fitful sleeper at night when you are bothered. You are very strong and steadfast. You don't give up easily on something that you want and it's these God given traits that will carry you far in life my sweet little love.
Ben, you are truly a joy. I like to think of you as the cherry on top of the sundae. You are the perfect sweetness added to our family. We love you and are so thankful that God saw fit to give you to us.
Happy 9 months!
