Maggie: 9 months

The past month with Maggie might be my favorite thus far. She loves to just sit and play with her toys. Her giggle is infectious and she engages more than ever, clapping along if music is playing or I start to sing.

She also likes to bounce. Whether Maggie is sitting in her high chair or sitting on the floor, she will bob up and down when she's excited.

One significant thing over the past month was our first night (and subsequent nights) Maggie and I were apart. I had to travel for a work conference so Brandon got his first taste of solo-parenting for a six day stretch. Maggie did fairly well (but I'll share more about my experience soon).

Some highlights of the last month include:

• Her first road trip of more than two hours. If you missed it, read more.
• Maggie's increased mobility. She isn't crawling, but she is scooting around on her bum which is pretty cute. It's almost imperceptible the way she can move from one side of her room to the other.
• She is acting on her curiosity more and more, as she reaches for books on a shelf, grabs for my straw and dumps out her toy basket.

Likes:

• Being outside
• Grabbing Milton (out dog)'s ears
• Being held upside down
• Bath time; she loves to splash and chew on a wash cloth

Dislikes:

• The vacuum cleaner/coffee grinder/blender (any loud, startling noises)
• Peas (she loved eating pea puree but refuses to eat the real thing)

Watching her grow and discover new things is such a pleasure. We are so grateful to be her parents.