So let's see . . .

Miran is 9 months old now and is doing so well. He is strong and active and usually on the go. He crawls like a champ, pulls to standing on everything, cruises around, and stands for a few seconds at a time unsupported (he probably would be better at this if we gave him more practice--when we're away at Christmas, he'll have more opportunity for it). As for sleep, some nights are great, but other nights he's fretful and wakes every few hours. I can't seem to predict how it will be, so I'm not sure what causes the fussiness. I did buy a small humidifier for his room today, so maybe with better air in there he will sleep better.

In addition to the usual breastmilk, his diet now generally includes two square "meals" a day--quinoa porridge for breakfast and a protein (lentils, meat, egg yolk) for lunch/dinner. He had been rejecting veggies for a spell but I'm going to start reintroducing them. He still loves avocado and banana, both of which we often mash into some of his other food for added flavor, texture, and nutrients. And he very much enjoys raw fruit -- apple, pear, kiwi, cantaloupe -- in his mesh bag feeder as a snack.

But the big news is that we finally have consonants!! His talking now sounds more language-like and includes lots of "ba" and "wa" sounds, plus the occasional "da" or "ma." This morning he actually said "dad" (no meaning attached, of course), and Nana Meej said that the other day he said "ball." He's also just started to actually babble, with successions of consonants (like "ba-ba-wa"), though that's still infrequent.

Miran's gotten so tall that he's finally outgrown his old Graco Snugride carseat, so I went and bought him a new one today. This new one goes up to 80 lbs., so I hope it's the last carseat we buy for a long time. Speaking of infant products, I was shocked that the Amby Baby was recalled due to a couple infant suffocation deaths. Miran slept in that thing every night for months, and we loved it! How scary to think he may have been in danger all that time. Indeed, he slept in the exact position that the recall notice listed as posing the most danger. Goodness!

Right now he's in the other room being put to bed by Daddy, and resisting it by the sound of the things. I can't wait till we can enjoy his first Christmas . . . in fact, I am really glad that, on my first Christmas without either of my paternal grandparents, I at least have Miran to infuse joy into everything. I have lost my dear beloved grandfather this year, but I have also gained a new family member, a beautiful son.

Daddy's got Brian Eno on, and that's chilling Miran (and me) out . . . I'm off to bed . . .