Letters to Nathan: Nine Months

Dear Nathan,

Happy nine months, dear boy! When I think of nine months, I automatically think of how long I was pregnant. I can't believe that you've now been out in this world for as long as you were in my tummy. It feels like a bit of a paradox because while nine months feels like a really long time, it has also flown right by. You're now such a curious happy boy. You're so squirmy these days, you're really trying to get to places and while you may have the motivation, you lack the means of getting there. So you're in a constant state of yearning. I can't wait for you to learn to crawl because I think you'll be so much happier to get where you want to go, instead of me trying to guess and lead you. You've got such an infectious laugh....we laugh and giggle together all day, being silly.

Stranger anxiety has continued this month. We went on a playdate with other babies born last June, and you were a bit apprehensive about the whole thing. You like your routines, and when we stayed at the playdate for a few hours and it got past your naptime, you definitely let me know that you were at your limit.

You got sick for the first time, and it was awful. I wrote a bit about it here, but basically I hope that you never ever get sick again. You looked like a zombie for about two weeks, but then you bounced right back.

You learned how to use a straw sippy cup. We were having no luck at all with a regular sippy cup - you couldn't figure out that you had to tip the cup up to get the water out, but you quickly caught onto using a straw.

You really like feeding yourself, and you often get angry when you see me with a spoonful of food coming towards your mouth. You're obsessed with Mum-Mum rice crackers and small puff cereal. You've been working on your pincer grip by picking up the puffs and putting them in your mouth. At first, you could only grab it in your fist and jam your fist into your mouth, not quite grasping how to release the puff but after a week or so of practising, you've got the hang of it.

Sometimes you're such a serious little boy. When you've got your hands on something sensory that you love, you get this look of great concentration. Your favourite toy is a piece of velcro on the back of a plush mirror. You also love zippers, measuring cups, wobbling footballs, and anything that dangles.

You're getting a top tooth. It hasn't quite broken through your gums yet but I can see the white bump. In the meantime, you love grinning to show off your two bottom teeth.

You discovered your love for jumping this month and have been making good use of your jumperoo.


This past weekend, I was a bridesmaid at my cousin Vicky's wedding so I was gone the whole day. I was a bit nervous because I've never been away from you for more than a few hours, and this meant that you and your dad would be on your own for the day until you joined us at the reception in the evening. You breezed through the day and had a great time at the wedding, delighting everyone around you. You've come so far in terms of your independence from six months ago when Vicky asked me to be in her wedding party. I'm disappointed that the day was too busy to get many photos, but rest assured that you looked handsome and dapper in your formal outfit.

Hanging out with Daddy during the day

Me with the beautiful bride

Sharing a sweet quiet moment together on a hectic day

You had a big growth spurt this month, getting two inches taller! You're so big now at 21 pounds and 74cm tall. I look back at photos of you when you were just born and I can't believe you're the same baby. It's getting quite hard to take your monthly photo these days because you move around so much. It took about fifty photos to get a few still ones, you squirmy monkey.

Love always,
Mumma