"I'm Nine Months Old!"

Here I am relaxing on the hammock reflecting back on the busy month I've just had! I'm so happy to share with you some of my accomplishments and experiences this past month:

• I now cruise quickly along furniture with only one hand holding on. I'm also starting to lift my hand off and walk all by myself beside furniture too!
• I can't wait any longer to tell the whole world my big piece of news --- I'VE STARTED TO WALK!!!!!!!!! I've gotten very good at taking 1-2 steps but just this past week I took six steps all by myself at the Children's Museum!
• I can walk with one hand held.
• I climbed stairs for the first time. Climbing is great! I love to climb on my favorite step stool too in order to check out what goes on in higher places. For some reason my Mommy comes running whenever I do this. The other day she found me hanging from the side of our stairs.....that was fun!
• I learned how to pull, twist, slide, and push switches on toys to make animals pop up!
• I love to babble, squeal, laugh, smile, and I'm continuing to work on saying words. I've become very good at saying, "bye-bye." I also love to wave hello and goodbye. I love to say "ah" when riding in my stroller or when being bounced because my voice sounds funny!
• I sign "more." Mommy is SOOOOO excited about me doing this! I like to use the sign for more when I'm eating and also to tell Mommy & Daddy that I want more silly games. I'm starting to use the sign for "all done" too. Mommy is teaching me so many fun signs.
• I love to clap my hands. I know to clap my hands together when Mommy says, "Grace, do pat-a-cake." I also clap my hands and say, "ay" after I do something great like point to a picture or say a word. Oh, and I started pointing this past month too! I'm so happy that I can now show Mommy & Daddy how many pictures, objects, and words that I know and understand! I can even point to very tiny pictures like the clocks in "Goodnight Moon" and to the tiniest of ladybugs in my books.
• I know many body parts. I can point to my Mommy's hair, nose, eyes, and mouth! I can also point to my own toes.
• I learned how to blow bubbles through a straw. Sometimes it is more fun to blow water bubbles than it is to drink the water!
• I tried all kinds of new foods this month. I have had toast, yogurt, cottage cheese (my favorite), cheese, juice, kale, nutritional yeast, and spinach.
• Mommy calls me a "Spice Girl" because I've had spices added to my foods! I love curry and cumin in my rice and lentils, cinnamon in my sweet potatoes and apples, and mint mixed with my peas and yogurt. I love my spicy new life!
• I have another tooth for a total of seven.
• I know how to use objects - I love to hold a brush and brush Mommy & Daddy's hair
• Some of my favorite things are: the Children's Museum, books, balls, blocks, Raffi, bubbles, Ella, O cereal, experiencing new places, going for walks, flowers, clocks (I can find every clock in our house and in books) and LADYBUGS. I can't get enough of ladybugs.