She still looks like a baby...

Nine months old and she still looks like a baby, but she doesn't really act like one.  She is really walking now, but not 100% of the time.  She still crawls a lot, but she can walk across an entire room.  She "talks" a lot too, but just babylish.  No real words yet. 

Allie still adores her sister and wants to do everything she does.  It is kind of hard taking her places because she wants to paint, glue, draw, and do crafts just like Selena.  She is continuing to perfect what Floyd has dubbed the "baby death roll" which is a complete lunge out of your arms.  I am amazed I haven't dropped her.  She almost always uses the baby death roll to jump out of your arms when you are trying to carry her up stairs.  She would much rather do it herself, while giggling enthusiastically.  I also have taught her to go down stairs feet first and on her tummy.  Smart baby that she is she has adapted the technique to getting off the couch and bed (don't worry I am always right there) as well.   She also utilizes the death roll while you are trying to dress her.  It is very difficult to dress a child who is flailing around like a fish out of water.

She loves giving me baby slobber kisses.  She'll crawl into my lap, grab my head, and plant big kisses right on my lips.  Sometimes she gets a little carried away and starts using her brand new 4 teeth.  That hurts! ;)

She is pretty much down to two naps, and sometimes even just one.  She has also been going to bed early and getting up early.  It is kind of annoying because Selena is definitely a late to bed late to riser, and Allie is an early to bed early to riser.  So I get to go to bed late and get up early.  When Selena was younger sometimes I would get jealous of those parents who's baby's went to bed early, but now that I have one I have to admit sometimes it was more convenient that Selena went to bed late.  It wasn't really a problem taking her out for late events.  We did take Allie to a party in memory of my friend Rachel who died a few months ago from ovarian cancer.  Luckily Allie took a late nap the whole way there so she was able to stay up a couple hours later.  She did great.  She let everyone hold her and fuss over her.  But I have discovered that if you take 9 month old babies to memorial services they will spit and make raspberry noises during the prayers.  Selena did the same thing, at the same age, at my Nana's memorial.  Funny babies.

Here are some pictures of Allie.  The weather has been wonderful this winter.   I remember last year around this time I was getting really desperate for some sunshine. You can see the cherry trees starting to bloom in the background.