Dear Everleigh (9 Months!)

Photo by Jen Flanagan of Image Market Photography

Dear Everleigh,

My dear, you are nine months old today and more lovely and fun and action-packed than ever before! You have seemingly boundless amounts of energy, love and positivity and I am blown away every day by how much I love you.

Here's what you're up to now:

You love to eat (you can blame me for this trait). You love new flavors and textures and you just love trying to eat things you totally should not eat, like onions or coffee or trail mix. Good thing Mommy and Daddy have your back. Your favorite foods right now are sweet potatoes, oranges (eaten through your handy little mesh snacker thing), and your freeze-dried yogurt bites. Oh and water, juice, milk, anything we will let you drink from your sippy cup or from our big cups.

You are really into throwing things on the floor--taking the toys out of your toy chest one by one and throwing them on the floor, taking the remotes off the coffee table and throwing them on the floor, removing your too-big clothes from your storage bin and throwing them on the floor, taking clean clothes out of teh dryer and throwing them on the floor. It's a good game ;) and you're loving it.

You also regularly demand that Daddy (or me, or whoever but Daddy is your biggest sucker) walk you around and around and around the house by holding your hands while you walk. Truthfully, you could do it on your own, but if someone lets go you cry like you are personally insulted (all while standing perfectly on your own). You are a HAIR away from taking steps on your own, and I'm so excited for you! I keep thinking in wonder about how quickly you're growing, and how one year ago you were in my big swollen belly and now you're talking, crawling, enjoying strawberries. It's truly amazing.

You love something your Dad and I created called "Everleigh Sandwich", which is when one of us is holding you and we call out "Everleigh Sandwich!" and then hug you up from both sides. You always laugh and smile and hug back and it's pretty great to know you feel how much we love you.

I want you to know how much I love you and how deeply you've changed the way I view myself. You are so cool and sweet and I am already excited about all the awesome fun we're going to have in just a short time! This summer you'll be walking and running even, and we can play at the park and go swimming and have all kinds of new adventures.

Here's to you, Everleigh-Weverly (your Dad's newest nickname for you) and all the possibilities you represent.

Love, love, and more love,

Mama