Nine month update

Clara had her nine month doctor appointment this morning, which went very well. She is 27 and 1/4 inches long and weighs 16 lb. and 13 oz., both of which are still about 25th percentile for her age . . . however, her weight gain has slowed down since the last time she was in, so she is a little below 25th for that, but the doctor wasn't concerned. I think she just has a crazy metabolism because she seems to be eating a lot to us . . .maybe she just burns it off quickly! As always, she wants to tell you some things about herself at nine months:
1. I finally got a tooth, and right now I have two on the bottom that have barely popped out and are really cute. I know that many more are to come!
2. I am on an eating kick right now and eat three meals a day plus four bottles. I prefer eating finger foods, and I kind of need to work on my table manners still. I fuss when I am really hungry and make it difficult for mommy to give me pureed food. My latest thing is "Baby mum-mums" which are rice stick things that I can hold and eat myself.
3. I crawl all over the place and pull myself up to standing. I can also stand for a few seconds at a time without holding anything, and, just recently, I am able to use a basket or pushing toy with wheels to walk around on carpet in the house. I love playing with Xavier and Darius and follow them around. In the evenings, though, when I'm a little fussy, I am getting more and more attached to mommy and daddy and will crawl up to them and pull at their pant legs for them to pick me up.
4. I'm not saying any words yet, but I babble a lot and make happy screams. I can sign "more" and I'm working on "milk," "please," and "all done."

Here I am right before going to the zoo last week . . it was cold so I bundled up in this bear suit!
I like to stand up and use this basket to walk around!
I have recently starting enjoying looking at board books and like having mommy or daddy read them to me . . . they love it! I continue to not be much of a snuggler, but, once in a while I'll still fall asleep in mommy's arms and she takes advantage of it!