Dear Connor,
Today, you turn nine months old, and if last month was lacking in milestones, this one is replete with them. But, before we get to all the milestones, I must pause to point out that this month marks the point that you have been outside my body for as long as you were inside it. At first when you came out, you were just this very fragile, incredibly little being that your dad and I (especially your dad) were almost afraid we would break. Now, you are this incredible little guy so full of personality that we are sure you are the happiest, most amazing kid ever. And I assure you, we aren't biased about this at all! And your dad's timidness has been completely replaced by a ferocious vivacity that I fear someday will make him your favorite parent. But for now, no threat of that. You do love your daddy, but I am still your rock.
At the beginning of this month, you decided you were going to figure out what this talking thing was all about. So much so, that your nanny told me one day “Connor talks too much” and this is particularly funny because of an early outing your dad and I took. When we were both employees for the government, we called in sick to work and drove up to New York City to watch the Yankees and Royals. (No, I’m not condoning this behavior in the future.) On the way home it was raining, which meant your dad was driving because, you might as well know, I am not the best of drivers – particularly in inclement weather. Per usual, I was rattling on about something and your dad turned to me and said “you talk too much”. (I told him he didn’t talk enough and kept right on going.) So, when your nanny said this about you, it was hard to contain my pride. After all, you look so much like your dad that sometimes it’s hard to see me in you.
However, as of late, the talking has turned into full on concentration on figuring out this motion business. You have always been a baby who loved to be on his feet. Even when you were very tiny and shouldn’t have had the strength to hold yourself up, you relished standing supported by someone. Now, you pull yourself up, and push off the ground sticking your bottom in the air, trying very hard to get to a standing position. Unfortunately for you, that head of yours is one difficult thing to pick up, so you need something to push off of or pull-up to achieve a standing position.
And, though you clearly view it as a temporary thing, you are crawling. It’s still a special little crawl that is sort of hand, hand, leg, drag the other leg as if it’s broken. But, it’s getting faster every day and you are gaining confidence each day as well. On occasion, you still sit up and flap your arms waiting for someone to come pick you up, but you also crawl right up to me and give me a head butt to let me know it’s time to be picked up. You try, oh how you try, to grab my leg and pull up, but this is something that hasn’t quite been accomplished.
You seem to prefer having someone hold your fingers and when you want to get somewhere, it’s quite clear, and you can put one foot in front of the other and get yourself there. On occasion, you have taken a couple of steps holding onto your toybox (which incidentally was mine as a child – it was made by your great grandfather) and the music table that your Uncle Mike gave you for Christmas. (Uncle Mike, that present has turned out to be fabulous!)
At night when we read books, you turn the pages, and sometimes on the weekends in the morning you bring me books. And, oh, how I love that you seem to love reading.
You started eating yogurt and you can regularly get down squash, carrots, and sweet potatoes. You also occasionally figure out how to get a piece of pasta in your mouth and potato chips are very cool. Food is just as fun to toss on the ground as it is to eat – and when you’re finished with dinner, you’re very good at letting us know. You’re pretty good with the fruits – and now that summer is here I can’t wait to see what the market has to offer you.
You are your Pappy’s grandson because you will chase after a newspaper bag for long period of time. Someday, maybe he will show you the giant stash of these he has accumulated and then he will explain all the great things you could do with them. For now, we use them to contain the stink bombs that you are now fairly regular about releasing (oh how I long for the once every 6 days pooping cycle that you used to be on).
If you aren't standing, you have quite a penchant for being held upside down. Often, when you are in my lap, you will flip your head so that the whole world is upside-down. The night wouldn't be complete if your dad didn't hold you by your ankles at least once.
I’m sure I’m forgetting some of the fabulous things you’ve been up to but it’s time for me to say good-night. Oh – and tonight is also a very special day because five years ago, your dad and I got married, one day before my 28th birthday.
Love,
Mom
On Saturday, some friends came over for dinner. Before they arrived, Connor and I were playing blocks. Let me just say that knocking over a tower of three - or sometimes even two - blocks if the mommy is not fast enough - never gets old! 
Finally, he enjoyed trying to figure out if he could fit his entire body into a very narrow cabinet in the kitchen. Given a little more agility, he could probably do it. Luckily, Ed removed the food processor parts from this cabinet in anticipation of such a move.
After I got up on Saturday, Connor and I were dancing around in the hallway while he laughed. So much fun, my little man is these days!
