Dear Brielle

You're nine months old today. I can't believe it.

I love so many things about you. You are an easy baby to love. :)

I love this stage that you're in. You can't crawl yet, but you can move around a little bit, and get the toys that are just out of reach. It keeps you busy enough, and I don't have to worry about baby gates and stuff yet. You big brother and sister were already crawling by now. Josiah was almost walking when he was your age. I love that you are just taking your time. Just hanging out and watching everything around you. Every once in a while, you get all geared up in your sitting position, and you put your hands on the ground in front of you, and you start rockin, like you're ready to take off. And you look up at me with your "stage 7 smile," wrinkly nose and all, like you're waiting for my permission. I"m not sure I'm ready to give it to you yet. You're my baby. :)

You are the absolute best sleeper EVER! I can't help but think that 'I deserve you' after the troubled sleepers we've already had. :) Every day I put you down for a nap sometime between 10:00 and 10:30. I sing a little song, and lay you down. And you love it! You just lay there, talking, singing, poking your pacifier. And eventually you go to sleep! I usually end up waking you up before lunch, because I want you to be ready for your next nap in the afternoon. I must admit that I'm a little selfish and think that I need some alone time while all the kids are down for naps in the afternoon. So I wake you up, and you're never crabby. ever. You do the same thing for afternoon naps, and even for bedtime. You usually sleep about 13 hours or more, uninterrupted. I think you get your love of sleeping from me.

You love your big brother and sister. And they adore you. Lillian is still waiting for you to be big enough to play dress up and do hair. I'm okay if you decide to take your time with that though. I like you little. :) And Josiah just can't get enough of you. He would love and snuggle and kiss and smother you all day if I'd let him. And he calls you "Blielle." it's really cute. You give them a HUGE smile when you see them. every time. I'll try to remember that in a few years when you all get sick of each other.

You love me the most. It's true. I'm your favorite person. :) If you can see me, but I'm not holding you, it's a major problem for whoever IS holding you. And when I leave the room, you freak out a little. I try really hard to not be annoyed by it, because I know that one day (too soon) you'll care less whether I"m around or not. You'll be so busy playing, or talking, or who-knows-what. and I won't matter so much. So for now, I'll try to just love the fact that you love me so much.

I can't believe how much you eat. I make your baby food, and then freeze it in ice cubes. You eat 3 or 4 cubes of ANYTHING, usually mixed with some rice or beans, and some applesauce. and then you still don't think you're done eating. It's about 7 ounces of food every meal by the time you're done. And then you still nurse afterward. And you crack me up at mealtime. You seem like a robot. Your little birdie mouth waits open for the spoon with every bite. And you have never spit a single thing out. ever. I bought a strange mix of veggies one time, and you still ate it. I'M the one who decided you didn't have to eat that anymore, because it made your poop smell weird. But you would have eaten it anyway, peppers and all. And the best part? You love avacados. We share one quite often, and you usually let me have most of it. I love that about you. :)

You are such an easy baby. You make me smile a million times a day. You love simple things like grass and business cards. You let me take pictures of you with all sorts of hair accessories for my website. And you usually smile for them. It cracks me up.

I know that moms have a hard time keeping up with taking pictures and scrapbooking and remembering stuff for their younger kids. I"m already guilty. But I know that I'll never forget your easy-going personality, your stages of smiles, and your sweet little heart.

When I was little, my mom told me that I was really special to her because I was the third child, and I had a older brother and an older sister, just like her. And from that day on, I always wanted to have my third child be a girl. I feel so lucky to have you. we have something special, and I'll remember THAT forever.

I love you sweet girl.
now, stop growing up so fast.