nine months

My baby is nine months old.  Well, actually almost 10 months, now!  It's so amazing how in these nine months, he's gone from being a tiny helpless newborn to the little person he is now. 

At nine months, Benjamin...

... weighs 20 lbs, 8 oz (50th percentile) and is 29 3/4 inches long (90th percentile), prompting the doctor to call him "long and lean" although you wouldn't know it from his chubby cheeks and thighs.

... gets around mostly by army crawl, although he's starting to do a "normal" crawl occasionally, too.

... can pull up to standing, and is starting to cruise.

... goes anywhere he wants - there is no obstacle he can't climb over (or so he thinks).
... has done numerous face-plants into the floor (one involving a bloody lip) due to his desire to climb over everything.
... loves Cheerios more than anything, and gets excited when he sees that yellow box.  He actually has an affinity for all bread products (wonder where he gets that... Mike) and refuses to feed himself most other finger food.
... looks up to his big brother, and wants to do everything he does.
... has a bear blankie that he likes to snuggle with at bedtime.
... sometimes whistles because he purses his lips when he's concentrating.
... has four teeth, two on top and two on the bottom.
... turns every diaper change into a wrestling match.
... never stops moving.
... has crazy hair that is now slightly less crazy since he recently had his first haircut.
... has gorgeous blue eyes with long lashes.
... has an adorable scrunched-nose smile that melts my heart on a daily basis.