late

Lost in the shuffle of the holiday season...that's what happened to James' 9-month blog post. For anyone counting, he turned 9 months old on December 10th. He was also sick, sick, sick that day with some crud he picked up from one of the 42 people we know who were sick around that time. So, it wasn't until December 20th that we finally made it into the pediatrician's office for his appointment. At 9 months and 10 days old, our sweet second son clocked in at the following:

weight: 21.8 lbs. (50-75%)
length: 29 inches (75%)
head: 21 inches (>95%)

Since we left the office that day, you know I've been carb-loading the heck out of him and waking him up for 5 a.m. weight-training...Chesserbabies DO NOT forego weight gain for 3 months, people!! His doc assured me that his "leveling off" in the weight department is strictly due to his activity level (he's been crawling since before 6 months and cruising my furniture since 7) and probably a little bit of decreased appetite from being sick the week before. Okay, okay...I'll lay off the weight-training...maybe. At 9 months, James is just as precious as he has been every other month of his life. He is still sweet, still laid back, still calm, still happy, still sleeping 11 hours at night, still napping twice a day, still nursing, and still loving his big brother more than anything in the world. He is also eating tablefood by the handful, and he enjoys every single new taste and flavor. "Yum yum" sounds abound when James is at the table. His favorite toys are those that sing or make sounds. He claps his hands along with music, and he is loving Christmas carols. Henry sings "Twinkle, twinkle" to him during diaper changes and anytime that he is crying (which is rarely), and he always quiets right down, stays very still, and then starts clapping along. It's adorable, y'all.
At 9 months, James loves baths in the big bathtub, picture books, and electrical outlets (grrr.). He is fascinated with mouths, and he likes to take turns sticking tongues out with anyone who will play. He's a big raspberry blower and open-mouth kiss giver. His eczema is still sticking around, but flare-ups are becoming fewer and fewer. Since I'm writing this after his 10-month bday, I'll tell you that at 10 months his eczema is just about gone. I'm hoping it's gone forever, but I have a feeling we're just enjoying a nice break. Mr. James is still our little snuggle-bug, and he'll put his head down and burrow into your neck just about anytime you let him. He has been known to cuddle up and stay in one place awake for more than 30 minutes...just enjoying the closeness. Bestill my heart.
I can't believe it's almost time for the "Big 1"!!