9 Months

Our lovable little guy celebrated his 9 month birthday last week. As our loyal followers know, I have been horrible about updating the blog with his monthly photos so, a lot has changed since his 6 month post.
Let's start with Henry's stats....as you can see from the picture above, he is lean. Personally I think he looks very big in the above picture, which is quite deceiving because he is still a peanut! He currently weighs 17 1/2 pounds and is 28 inches long. I can't remember the exact percentiles, but he is around the 10th percentile for weight and 25th height. Doesn't look like we have football players on our hands, but you never know! Regardless, the doctor is happy with his growth, as he continues to creep right along the curve consistently.
He continues to be the happiest baby around. Henry went through a bit of a rough patch the last couple of weeks because of his teeth, or at least what I think were his teeth. Even though he was more fussy than usual, the smile rarely left his face. His happiness is contagious and you can't help but smile when he flashes those white teeth your way. He loves to be a part of the action and as long as he can be in the middle of everything, he is content.
Being in the middle of everything also means getting into everything! And I mean everything...cabinets, drawers, baskets, purses, bags, etc. He can get anywhere he wants to go, as he started crawling toward the end of April/beginning of May and hasn't looked back since. It started with the army crawl, but once he perfected that, he was up on all fours and on the move. He pulls himself up on everything and is becoming braver by the day, letting go with one hand and even trying to move from once piece of furniture to another...as long as they are close. All this mobility drives Ethan crazy though because Henry is constantly taking his toys. We are working hard on sharing and letting Henry test out Ethan's toys because his interest lasts about 2 minutes before he is on to something else. It is fun to watch though too because Henry is really starting to interact and play with toys.

Henry loves his brother more than life itself! He gets such a kick out of Ethan talking to and playing with him. The giggles are a plenty when Ethan sneaks into his crib in the morning before I make my way up there. Henry can't get enough of Ethan reading books to and playing cars with him. Just the sound of Ethan's voice makes Henry smile. I love watching the 2 of them interact; they could entertain each other for hours.

He isn't really saying too many words yet, but babbling a ton! He definitely says "da-da-da" and "ga-ga-ga." It won't be too long before he really starts saying words, but for now, I love his constant chatter. It is just too cute!
Henry is doing well is the eating and sleeping department as well. He is pretty much off of all baby food and enjoys just about everything that you put in front of him. He loves all fruit, veggies, chicken, cheese, yogurt, applesauce, pasta, toast, beans...honestly, anything! He is still mastering the concept of picking up pieces and putting them in his mouth, but he does a fairly good job and requires just a little help if the meal drags on too long. And while he still gets 3-4 bottles a day, the sippy cup has become a favorite at meal time. We started with water for practice and got the go ahead from the doctor to try milk. So far so good and he loves drinking out of his sippy cup like a big boy!

Unlike a couple of months ago, Henry's sleep is consistently wonderful. He is still going to bed fairly early, around 7 and waking up anywhere between 7 and 8 on most days. His naps continue to be 1-2 hours in the morning and afternoon! And, just recently his afternoon nap fell in line with Ethan's, which makes this momma (and Elyse) very happy! Henry will let you know when he is ready to get up and be a part of the action, but even through his cries, his smile shines when you walk into his room.
Henry is definitely keeping us on our toes, but he is the best 9 month old around. I don't think there is anyone who is happier than HRH, which makes life in the Hunt household very fun and cheery. There is no way that you can be around Henry without smiling, he just does that to you! And, while I can't believe we are rapidly creeping up on toddlerhood, we have thoroughly enjoyed the last 9 months with our baby. He is as sweet as ever and so stinkin' cute. He really completes our family (for now, at least) and makes me grin from ear to ear daily! Henry Hunt, you are the most easy going, happy, content, inquisitive, gentle, snugly, adorable, and delightful little guy out there! I can only hope you embrace these qualities as they are some of the best out there. You are our little peanut and we love you more than you will ever know.