Day Fifteen Hundred and Thirty-Eight

The Ninth Month

My Best Little Friend,

Amelia, oh how you make Mommy smile! I think this month has been one of my favorites so far. You just have the sweetest way of making my heart leap and I can't even begin to explain to you how much I love that vampire-tooth grin you wear so fantastically. 

This month - like so many before it - saw HUGE changes. But maybe the biggest ones yet. It all started with the purchase of our very first home - Amelia, yes you finally have a home! Daddy bought it for you and I (ok and him too!) and the three of us couldn't be more excited about the sense of permanence it'll bring to our small little family. 

The day we signed the papers, Dada carried the two of us over the threshold and ever since, we've been making the most and best and first memories in our beautiful new home. Maybe one of my favorite memories was when Dad built you an entire fort - complete with a slide - using all the boxes and boxes of cardboard leftover from the necessary purchases that come with buying a house! Your dad...he's quite the handyman! Sad to say, however, that you weren't much of a fan of your slide. 

You were a fan of the brand new rugs he bought for you though!! 

(Check out your rat tail! It cracks me up!)

So, since you're such an impressive crawler, the rugs that I mentioned were a MUST. 

Why, you ask?

Because this little noggin...

...Oh this most precious little noggin...

...while simultaneously teething like a madwoman...

...kept getting bashed into our tile floors! I can't count the times that Daddy or I would coming sprinting to your aid after a most awful crash would have you screaming in pain and in fear. It hurt me so badly to watch you cry. I knew you were already aching from the two new VAMPIRE teeth coming in, so the pain from your head smacking on the tile just made me feel even worse.  

And so, Dada went out and bought you two rugs! That way, when you slip or fall or tumble or trip, the carpet will hopefully absolve at least some of the pain! Our goal is to have no more head-thumping faces and instead, have more happy faces like this one!

More new things: this month, you really let out the personality. You are so happy, so fun, and so giggly! You belly laugh with the greatest joy and love it when Daddy and I tickle your neck! You especially like the monkey noise and when we oink like a pig!

You've also learned to arch your back in protest, and though it comes with just a little attitude, we think it's especially cute. 

Maybe the biggest surprise of the month came not too long ago when you decided that squatting was out...

...and standing...

...was in!!

This new trick of yours - standing from the squatting position - just happened only a few days ago. Daddy and I gasped at each other in complete shock when we witnessed this feat for the very first time!! You are unbelievably strong, balanced, and focused already Little Girl!!

Ok, so you're officially teething like never before. My goodness, woman, your poor baby gums! We can tell that you're definitely having some discomfort as new teeth continue popping up (you have four now - two on the bottom and two vampire ones on the top), so you've been wearing a Baltic amber teething necklace and I'm not kidding you, the thing is INCREDIBLE. 20 minutes on you and you're a new, pain-free baby! Now, if only the necklace could reduce the runny nose that comes with teething too! You've got quite the snot stash up in that tiny nose of yours and though you'd like nothing more than to keep it up there away from the nose sucker, Mommy and Daddy use the Nose Frida and constantly have to suck it out.

This month, Daddy taught you how to drink from a straw! You also saw snow for the very first time, saw AND crawled up stairs for the very first time, and ate a feather for the very first time.

Yes, a feather.

Why did you eat a feather?

Because you're the most curious girl I've ever met.

So, of course you ate a feather!

Want to know how I know you ate a feather?

Because on the day of Parker's baby shower (which you helped plan for Auntie Ellie - it was themed "Ahoy it's a boy!" and we had TONS of fun!!) you pooped out a three inch feather and I had to pull the last little part of it out of your behind!!!! 

I took a picture of it and sent it to Daddy.

He laughed. And laughed. And laughed. And laughed.

We've been quite the busy ones this month. We spent 10 days at Auntie Marissa and Uncle Christian's before closing on our home, then 20 days unpacking into our first home and drinking from our new water ionizer (the Kangen), and then another week in Washington visiting our family for Thanksgiving! We had such a beautiful time with our family celebrating your first big holiday and I can't tell you how grateful I am to have such a strong and supportive group of people surrounding us. We are truly, truly blessed, My Girl. I hope as you grow up into a lovely young woman, that you understand and recognized the favor that Christ has poured over our family.

My Millie, you've been alive on this earth as long as you were alive in my belly, and let me just tell you: I can't even begin to imagine my life without you in it. I am absolutely overjoyed to be your mother. I think about you constantly. I snuggle you every chance I get. I talk about you nonstop and can't get enough of your little baby smell. I'm obsessed with breastfeeding - you're still exclusively breastfed and sleep in bed with Mommy and Daddy - and can't imagine stopping any time soon. We share a bond that's so special to me. More special than I ever thought possible. It makes me smile every time I hear you groan in your sleep. I makes me smile every time you hear your daddy come home from the gym. It makes me smile every time you fall asleep in your carrier, every time you sun bathe with me out by the pool, and every time you get your ears wet in the bathtub. I love it when you brush your teeth with Dad's toothbrush and when you suck on ice with that one silly look on your face. I love it that you're so incredibly flexible. Resilient. Kind. Brave. You are our biggest joy and greatest treasure. Your Daddy and I are closer than ever because of you and we just can't tell you quite perfectly, just how big our hearts burst for you. We love you, Amelia Lynn. All 20.6 pounds and 30.25 inches of you!! 

Always and forever,

Love, Mommy

Oh, also, Daddy's been calling you "Diller" or "Diller Doo" and I call you "Sissy" or "Sissy Poo" or "Sister." And no, you still don't have a sibling, I just always am calling you that! MWAH!

_________________________

Yesterday was also our last day in Spokane. Sad. But true. I wish we could've stayed longer, but then Adam's mommy would miss us! And so before leaving, we gave Hunter and Bearett their little presents from Auntie Kim that she sent in the mail for them!

It was a fun and exciting way to say goodbye and though it breaks my heart every time walking out of that front door and driving away, it just makes coming back next time that much more anticipated!! Love you, my family! Adam, Amelia, and I had the perfect time! We can't wait to be back...mostly to play another game of Werewolf ;)

(Warewuff, warewuff!)