Month 9
Dear Desi,
Happy nine months! This is probably the latest your monthly letter has ever been, but we have a very good reason for that. It's because, on the day you turned 9 months, we were having our Juan Family Vacation in Pampanga. We celebrated that day by touring around Lolo Art's old home, learning more about your Juan heritage, and having lunch in Everybody's Cafe. Yes, you had lunch for the very first time the day you turned 9 months. No, we didn't let you have frog legs or sisig. We brought ground fruits and vegetables for you but you ate with us all the same and it was a very happy day.
Nine months, nine months. There were so many milestones in the past month that I hardly know where to start! What's up with this growing up in leaps and bounds? Didn't we make a deal that you would stay a baby for as long as humanly possible? Now you're crawling for real (no longer dragging your tummy across the floor), sitting up with such great ease, and even standing on your own two feet for several seconds at a time. You're really practicing hard with that standing. It's like you're testing yourself for how long you can stay upright. And every time you land on your butt, you just get up again. You're so strong and so active, we have to keep a constant watch on you because if we just turn away for a few seconds, you could just crawl off the bed.
Aside from developing your amazing powers of super speed, you've also been busy perfecting three tricks. The first is "Bye bye." Or, as Ate Lia insists, "Hi!" You're already pretty consistent with this one, waving at people who are waving at you. And when you feel like showing off, you even say "Baba!" while waving goodbye. The second trick is "Clap clap!" You're really good at clapping, as evidenced by the video in your website. However, you don't take to the command consistently yet. You could clap when I say clap clap clap, or when you see other people clapping, or you see applause on TV, or when you do something you're proud of... or not clap at all. Perhaps it's enough for you to know that you can do it. You don't have to prove it to everyone else. Whatever happens though, we already have it on video.
The third trick is my favorite. Beautiful Eyes! I'm not even sure this is a trick because half the time I say beautiful eyes, you scrunch your nose and shut your eyes tight while smiling with your wide two-teeth grin. And the other half you just look at me with those giant eyes like I'm speaking in an alien language. But for the 50% chance that I see that smile, I love telling you to do beautiful eyes because you really do have the most beautiful baby eyes in the world.
Speaking of two-teeth, Yay Teeth! I've been waiting three months for your teeth, and finally they have arrived! And both within days of each other at that. I've been so excited about your teeth because I knew that they would make your smiles a billion times cuter and I was right! That I wasn't right about was that when they came out, it would mean you would sleep better at night, you would stop chewing at everything in sight and you would stop drooling. Not in the least. Those teeth did not slow you down, not one minute. You still wake up and nurse every two hours at night and you stil leave a trail of slobbery chewed up messes wherever you go. It leaves me to think there are more teeth on the way soon. In the meantime, that gorgeous smile makes it all worth it.
Oh Desi, I can't even begin to describe how delightful you are. Relatives who don't see you often think you're always frowning, always worried, when in fact, at home you have the easiest baby smiles in the world. You're always happy and smiling, always ready for the next adventure, eager to be carried by anyone who's wearing a big bright necklace. You are such a trooper, even if you've missed your nap, you don't complain about being out and about as long as there is something new to see. In fact, last Christmas Day, you refused to take a nap and insisted to be in the party to entertain your guests. You kept yourself awake until it was time to go home and then you slept in the car. I guess this should serve as a warning to Daddy and me of the kind of party girl you are going to be.
My darling Desi, your smiles always make me happy, and it's getting easier and easier to make you smile everyday. You are smart and beautiful and full of life, I am so proud you are mine, and that you are who you are.
Love, Mommy
Happy nine months! This is probably the latest your monthly letter has ever been, but we have a very good reason for that. It's because, on the day you turned 9 months, we were having our Juan Family Vacation in Pampanga. We celebrated that day by touring around Lolo Art's old home, learning more about your Juan heritage, and having lunch in Everybody's Cafe. Yes, you had lunch for the very first time the day you turned 9 months. No, we didn't let you have frog legs or sisig. We brought ground fruits and vegetables for you but you ate with us all the same and it was a very happy day.
Nine months, nine months. There were so many milestones in the past month that I hardly know where to start! What's up with this growing up in leaps and bounds? Didn't we make a deal that you would stay a baby for as long as humanly possible? Now you're crawling for real (no longer dragging your tummy across the floor), sitting up with such great ease, and even standing on your own two feet for several seconds at a time. You're really practicing hard with that standing. It's like you're testing yourself for how long you can stay upright. And every time you land on your butt, you just get up again. You're so strong and so active, we have to keep a constant watch on you because if we just turn away for a few seconds, you could just crawl off the bed.
Aside from developing your amazing powers of super speed, you've also been busy perfecting three tricks. The first is "Bye bye." Or, as Ate Lia insists, "Hi!" You're already pretty consistent with this one, waving at people who are waving at you. And when you feel like showing off, you even say "Baba!" while waving goodbye. The second trick is "Clap clap!" You're really good at clapping, as evidenced by the video in your website. However, you don't take to the command consistently yet. You could clap when I say clap clap clap, or when you see other people clapping, or you see applause on TV, or when you do something you're proud of... or not clap at all. Perhaps it's enough for you to know that you can do it. You don't have to prove it to everyone else. Whatever happens though, we already have it on video.
The third trick is my favorite. Beautiful Eyes! I'm not even sure this is a trick because half the time I say beautiful eyes, you scrunch your nose and shut your eyes tight while smiling with your wide two-teeth grin. And the other half you just look at me with those giant eyes like I'm speaking in an alien language. But for the 50% chance that I see that smile, I love telling you to do beautiful eyes because you really do have the most beautiful baby eyes in the world.
Speaking of two-teeth, Yay Teeth! I've been waiting three months for your teeth, and finally they have arrived! And both within days of each other at that. I've been so excited about your teeth because I knew that they would make your smiles a billion times cuter and I was right! That I wasn't right about was that when they came out, it would mean you would sleep better at night, you would stop chewing at everything in sight and you would stop drooling. Not in the least. Those teeth did not slow you down, not one minute. You still wake up and nurse every two hours at night and you stil leave a trail of slobbery chewed up messes wherever you go. It leaves me to think there are more teeth on the way soon. In the meantime, that gorgeous smile makes it all worth it.
Oh Desi, I can't even begin to describe how delightful you are. Relatives who don't see you often think you're always frowning, always worried, when in fact, at home you have the easiest baby smiles in the world. You're always happy and smiling, always ready for the next adventure, eager to be carried by anyone who's wearing a big bright necklace. You are such a trooper, even if you've missed your nap, you don't complain about being out and about as long as there is something new to see. In fact, last Christmas Day, you refused to take a nap and insisted to be in the party to entertain your guests. You kept yourself awake until it was time to go home and then you slept in the car. I guess this should serve as a warning to Daddy and me of the kind of party girl you are going to be.
My darling Desi, your smiles always make me happy, and it's getting easier and easier to make you smile everyday. You are smart and beautiful and full of life, I am so proud you are mine, and that you are who you are.
Love, Mommy