A Blue Sky Kind of Life: Beckett's nine-month update

Beckett, you're nine months old today!

Dr. Plax confirmed you're growing great! You're up to 19 lb, 9 oz and 28.5 in long, with a head circumference of 46 cm. Nice job! You're definitely growing and looking more like a toddler (and less like a baby) every day.

This month has been all about meeting new friends and family members. After the family fun in Atlanta last month, you decided to top it off this month with several more guests.

Grammie and Grandpa brought your cousin Jesselyn for a visit, and you guys had a great time together. You went to the zoo twice and the Magic House Children's Museum, both of which wore you out.

And you had lots of play time around the house.

You even tried to teach Grandpa how to crawl.

The next weekend, mommy and daddy's friends Will and Jamelia came for a visit and brought their son Elliott.

You showed them all around St. Louis and even went on your first visit to the Arch.

It was hot, but we all had a great time.

You also invited your friend Tali over for brunch (and you didn't mind that her parents, Jeff and Susanne, and our other friends Chris and Stephanie came too).

Finally, you celebrated your nine-month birthday with a visit from your cousin Jordanna.

You won her over immediately and had fun showing her around Forest Park.

You also took her to your favorite coffee shop, Kaldi's, where you showed off your new skill of drinking from a straw.

(So, let me tell you how it is...)

Though you've still only got two front teeth, you're learning to "chew" lots of new foods, and we're having fun introducing you to even more new things. Like your mom, you love all kinds of bread products, and you could eat your weight in toast, pancakes, and bagels if we let you.

(Bagels are serious business.)

You've also been eating lots of other finger foods, including nectarines, apricots, sweet potatoes, and blueberries, as well as more complex purees, including your favorite — carrots, green beans, and quinoa. And you loved the black bean burgers we made!

(Yeah, I've got a cheese puff. What of it?)

You're still not crawling yet, but you're so close! I think you're just a very smart kid who's realized it's easier to be carried than to crawl. Still, we're pretty sure you're going to start any day now.

You're very strong and can easily pull yourself up while holding on to our fingers, and you like to stand while leaning on things like your piano table.

Your personality is really starting to show through, and you make the funniest faces and do the silliest things. You're always making us laugh.

This month you also started swim lessons with your friends Natalie and Ethan, and you're doing great. You seem to like going under the water, and you love your coach, Julie.