Rye, 9 months

With the object permanence box

Rye is growing, growing. We have to drop the footrest on the high chair already! He's crawling all over the place, wants to explore and wants to climb. He can climb up one step no problem. He really wants to get on the couch, but luckily hasn't figured out how, yet! He is graduating from having to have a strong fingergrip on something to stand up to being able to palm it for balance. He generally anchors himself to a low shelf with his elbow. He pulls up to standing at his bookshelf and at the baby gates. He is not able to let go of a good handhold, however, and often has a hard time getting down again.

Rye now carries favored toys with him when he crawls. He can hold things tightly when you carry him around (he used to drop things as soon as you picked him up). He enjoys playing with the wooden cars daddy had when he was a kid. When he hears the helicopters overhead, he immediately looks up to the sky to try to see them — even indoors.

He has said "Mama" a couple of times and he recognized a photo of Daddy on the fridge and immediately said "Dada," when he saw it. He is trying to copy our speech, with multi-syllabic words and phrases like "goodness!" and "helicopter." (These only sound like the original to the trained ear.) If you call him to come over to you, he will crawl over. If you ask him to stop doing something that is dangerous, sometimes he will listen ... unless it's a very interesting cord or wire. Then you have to pry it out of his hands.

Rye still loves music class, especially leaning on the floor drum and touching the djembe and guitar, and watching Sarah play the berimbau. He plays the maracas and shows interest in the instruments the other babies are eating playing.

In swim class, Rye has sat on the edge of the pool and waited until Mommy said "One, two, three, GO!" before jumping in, and he even climbed out on his own...to get a toy. He tries to eat the water. He does not like putting away the rubber ducks after play time.

He is working on at least two more teeth, a top incisor and a canine...and since teeth often come in pairs, we're expecting two more immediately. It's been a rough couple of weeks for everyone with wakefulness and some discomfort. The Hyland's homeopathic tablets have been a dream, as has Baltic Amber. We think he's having a growth spurt at the same time...judging by his height next to the bookshelf, he has easily put on a half-inch to an inch over the last month, we think.

Rye thinks it's hilarious to smack his tongue after eating, especially if you copy him—which creates a long smack-a-lackin' game between the two of you.

He still charms strangers in restaurants and grocery stores.

For comparisons to developmental milestones, you can try the charts here or here.

The Lego Days have begun. Let the bare feet beware.

You are the sunshine of my life.....

In the handknit cotton sweater set that Aunt Baba sent