Nine Months

Happy Birthday, Kai! Today you are nine months old.

The day we brought you home from the hospital I laid my face next to yours and put my lips near your lips and I breathed in your sweet breath so your sweet cells would still be mixed up with mine. Now you're here in the world, warmed up in the sun coming through the window, eating applesauce, laughing with Jett, pulling my hair, smiling at Daddy. Nine months.

You have two little teeth on the bottom, and a smile that won't quit. When you're in your highchair you like to shake your head side to side and sing, and we all respond. We all eat dinner while doing impressions of Stevie Wonder, and you laugh and laugh at what you can get us to do.

You make all kinds of happy noises, but your favorite way to talk is to stick your tongue in and out, in and out. Jett and I spend half of our day talking to you that way and we love it.

You love to be upside down. You sit on my lap and throw your head backwards, begging me to tickle your belly. Your mouth is open in a happy squeal and I kiss your chin, that cute chin. We do it over and over.

We are rarely apart, and I just can't believe how much time we get to spend together. You are in my arms most of the day. You are so snuggly, resting your head on my shoulder, belly to belly.

When you're not in my arms you're on the move, swimming like a fish all through the house. Now my pockets are always full of lint and crumbs and little dried pieces of our hardwood floor. That's just me, keeping your immediate floor space clean and safe. Jett is amazingly conscientious about picking up his crumbs so you don't choke on them. We are ok for now though, because you haven't quite mastered that pincer grasp yet. You just point your little finger out to touch, and I run over and whisk away whatever speck you've found.

We all love to put you in the bath with Jett. You both get so excited to be in there together. You splash Jett and he laughs. He zerberts your belly and you laugh. It's one big laughfest in the tub. Then I get to pick up little naked you, and pat your little smooth butt, and kiss your little chubby belly, and feel your skin on my face and my arms and my hands and it's heaven.

Here you are - nine months in and nine months out. What a milestone! Welcome to the world, Baby Kai! You made it! We love you!