this summer vs. last summer

i was just working on uploading some photos of Ace's first trip to the pool at the Y and came across this picture. it makes me smile because it makes me look like a total mom. last summer Ace was in my tummy in the big pool swimming laps and this summer we are going to be sitting together in the baby pool. i love being a mom and i will take looking like a mom any day!

Last summer's mom picture...

9 and oh so fine...

My Sweet Angel Ace,

Tomorrow you will turn ten months old. Double digit months. Two number months. How did this happen??? You were so tiny and new and brand new just yesterday. Someone must have accidentally hit the fast forward button because there is no way that time can possibly go this fast!

The month you were nine months old was one of my favorites. Your little personality is developing more and more each day and you are the absolute best thing in mine and daddy’s lives. You greet us each morning with  a full body dance party and a belly full of giggles. This is the same smile, giggle, body dance that you share with others all through the day. You bring smiles and joy to every person you come in contact with. It never fails that when we take you out shopping or walking or really anywhere that you make new friends and people want to hear all about you. You even had a sweet lady call you “Juicy” this month! Our encounters with strangers usually go like this; “Oh he is so cute! How old is he?”. This is followed by our response, “Thank you! He is nine months old.” Their response, “Ohhhhhhhhh he sure is a big boy!!”  This has earned you some new nicknames this month including “Juice” and “Baby Giant”.

You got two more teeth this month taking your grand total up to 8! I have to schedule a dentist appointment for you in the next few weeks because you have SOO many teeth. Like all of your other teeth, you barely made a peep as they were breaking though the surface. You are pretty tough! Although you still aren’t crawling, you manage to get all around by rolling over and over to get what you want. You have also managed to learn how to scoot yourself around in a circle if you need to change directions with your roll. You spend a lot of time trying to roll under furniture. I don’t think it will be long before you actually get up and go but for now we are ok with your rolling.

This month you completely mastered patty cake. Spent a whole week with Gigi while she was here for a visit. Got your first ear infection which has been really AWFUL.  Went to your first football game and loved it. You clapped and watched the whole game. Uncle Stu said we need to start shopping you around to schools already! Tried watermelon, pineapple and cheese for the first time. Went through four different types of sippy cups and you still don’t like any of them. Celebrated your first Easter and loved the plastic Easter eggs in your basket. Weighed 25.2 pounds and measured 30 inches in length at your well baby visit. And…the highlight for mama, learned to waive bye-bye. Your bye-bye is the best best best best best thing in the world! I think I love it so much because it is your own little way of communicating.

Your ninth month was one of the best ones ever! As you learn more things and pay attention to more and more things I know they are only going to get better. You are so smart and silly and have the best qualities from your dad and me. You have a little temper which I am sure came from me but you rarely throw fits, cry or give anyone any trouble.

I almost forgot. I want to remember how you stretch your neck to see things that are just almost out of your line of sight. And how you peek around the walls to see who is coming in the room. And how you open your eyes real big while you are doing these things as if that will help you see a little bit better.

I love you so much, Ace! Here we go to the 10^th month!

Love,

Mom