9 Months

Cooper - 9 months old

Doesn't he look so grown up? I took this picture last Sunday, and couldn't believe how big he looked. Coop turned 9 months old a week ago today. My how time flies. Cooper has grown up so much in the last month. Here are some of the things he's done in the last month. [Sorry this is such a long post, but there are so many things I don't want to forget about him at this age, so good for you if you make it all the way to the end.]

• First words - I was delighted when Cooper started saying "Mama" consistently. Ok, he doesn't quite say it like that. His version of "Mama" is "Mmmmmmmmmmmmah" or sometimes just "Mmmmmmm, Mmmmmmm." It melts my heart to hear him call for me. The other morning I had just finished feeding him. He always give me a big smile when he's done nursing. This particular time, he pulled himself up, said "Ohhhh. Mmmmmmmuh," then took my face in his hands and gave me a big slobbery "kiss." Then he pulled back, smiled, and clapped "yay." It was the sweetest thing ever. What a kid.
• Coop has also learned Dada, and baba (bottle). He seems to comprehend much more when we speak to him too, at least simple things like bath, snuggle (blanket), and splash (which he loves to do in the bath).
• Cooper has develolped a love for all things he can bang together. When he finds two objects he can bang together, he bangs 'til his heart's content, and smiles his snaggle tooth grin.
• Speaking of teeth, tooth #8 finally made its debut. The bugger took SO long to break through, and was so hard on Coop. I think it was his worst so far. Now it seems he's getting ready to get a few more as the drool, chewing, stuffy nose, watery eyes, etc. have all returned with a vengance. It seems hard to tell where one teething episode ends and another begins. Cooper is a great baby in many aspects, but teething is not one of them.
• Cooper has discovered he can feed himself. His favorite food are these little "Cheetos" type things made by Gerber. They're pretty much rice puffs that dissolve easily. Coop LOVES the Garden Tomato flavor. He eats them by the handfuls, albeit not many make it to his mouth yet.
• Along those same lines, Cooper has finally learned how to use a sippy cup. Up until now to drink anything but formula, Coop refused to use anything but a real cup. He was pretty good at it, but it had to be held for him. Now he gets excited to use his sippy cup and has started "asking" for drinks when I'm feeding him.
• Cooper continues to be fearless and adventureous, which are not necessarily a good combination. Last night he got his first "swell out of his head" goose egg. It scared me to death because he hit the back of his head, and the side as well. The goose egg was on the side. Nate reminded me that is probably the beginning of injuries with this little fearless guy. I dread the future trips to the ER, broken arms, etc.
• Cooper is getting closer to walking. Part of his fearlessness is just letting go of things when he's hanging on to walk around. He's getting brave and letting go to play with something, or to get from one thing to another that he can't quite reach. He's also starting to try to stand up in the middle of the floor without holding on to anything. The most fun thing is walking him back and forth between two people and letting go. His record is four quick unaided steps. There have been a couple times where he's been standing looking at something and I'll let go of him, and he'll stay standing until he realizes I've let go, at which time he'll promptly plop down on his bottom. The record standing alone like that is about 10 seconds, which seemed a lot longer than it actually was.
• Cooper has also learned to clap with his hands open instead of with fists. When he does something he likes or that he thinks was a good thing, he'll stop and clap "yay" and then look to see if I'm looking, and give me a toothy grin, and then he'll clap some more. He loves to play pat-a-cake, and really gets giggling if you do it super speedy.
• Cooper has developed quite a sense of humor. He will giggle uncontrollably at the weirdest things. Recently he giggles every time I make funny faces. We play a game where I close my eyes and go expressionless. Then I'll pop my eyes open suddenly and pull a silly face. This gets him giggling every time.
• Cooper LOVES to read books. He'll even go get a book and then crawl to sit on my lap. Sometimes he'll listen to the story, most times not. What he's really interested in is turning the page. He loves to turn the page, and even seems to know what, "Ok, turn the page," means. His favorite books are Beddy Bye Goodnight and I Love You Through and Through. He also likes the Slient Cricket book by Eric Carle because when you open the last page, it makes a cricket chirping sound. He'll do it over and over.
• Cooper continues to love to sing. In the last month or so he's started singing to himself when he's really tired and having a hard time falling asleep. His singing is more like single-tone humming or moaning, but it's cute. Sometimes when he does that, I'll try to sing Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star, which he loves, and he'll get mad and then start singing to himself again. That cracks me up. The other bedtime song he loves the most is Stay Awake from Mary Poppins. He still loves singing Do as I'm Doing and Popcorn Popping on the Apricot Tree.

Cooper continues to be a great baby. Everywhere we go, people always comment on how happy and friendly he is. He smiles a lot, and hardly fusses unless something is wrong or he needs something. The one area that could be improved is his nighttime sleeping. He wakes up sometimes several times a night and wants to eat, or wants to be held. I swear letting him cry it out just makes him more clingy for the next few days. That is my downfall with him. He used to sleep through the night until teething really got bad, and then that threw a wrench in it. But with such a great kid, I can't really complain too much.

Cooper loves having his cousin, Ellie, around every day (they play together or get babysat together), and I am so happy that he's taken so well to my sister, Chelsey, who moved out here to nanny for us. He loves her, and the other day when I said, "Cooper! Want to go find Chelsey?" He said, "Cee?" I swear he was saying her name.

Which reminds me, the other day Nathan said OK to something, and Cooper said it back. He really is getting to be rather vocal. The other night he was being so loud, playing with his toys and walking/crawling around stuff. He was squealing and squawking, and saying all sorts of gibber-jabber, as usual, but REALLY loudly. Nathan and I could hardly talk over him. Nate stopped and said, "Yeah, Coop. That's your problem; you're not verbal enough." So funny.

Ok. That's enough about my adorable little boy who is the highlight of my life. I love you, Coopsta!