To my 9 month old...

I love...

-The way you crawl-usually with your right foot out in bear crawl position and your left leg crawling on your knee.
-The way you have figured out how to stand up on your own and even crawl up on low flat surfaces. Namely the dishwasher while I unload dishes but if there are stairs separating the two of us you are not afraid to take those on either.
-Your kisses! You will actually pucker up a little and lift your chin to meet lip to lip, not just open your mouth and slobber like you used to (which was cute too btw: ))
-How you will wave hi and bye to the funniest things. Windows, pictures, your room, your dad, Shadow, and of course just about everybody else.
-How you call me "mama" and you know what that means.
-How you call everything else "mama" too because it's fun to say.
-Your squirminess. I'm pretty sure your dad and I have mastered the diapering thing. I've even had to clean you and re-diaper you while you were crawling because I couldn't keep you on your back in one position.
-Watching you play "share" with Shadow. Usually his idea of "playing" is drop something at our feet and when we go to pick it up he snatches it waits until we give up and then drops it again and waits for us to reach for it so he can snatch it before we get to it. But with you, he sets a toy down lets you grab it, play with it chew on it and give it to him, then he takes it and puts it back down for you. Amazing.
-When I get down on the ground to start chasing you and you crawl as fast as you can towards me.
-How you clap at everything: )
-The snuggles I get from you when you need comforting. I hate when you get hurt but knowing that nothing makes you feel better than getting snuggled by me is such a good feeling. (I also know you make your dads heart melt when he gets to do the comforting. Sometimes he will run over to you just so that he can get the cuddle before I get to you)
-Coming into your room in the morning and seeing you standing up with your beautiful face smiling at me over the railing.
-Weekend family cuddle time with you and Shadow in our bed.
-Playing peek-a-boo. You do this even when no one is playing with you, and still think it is funny.
-How I drop you off at daycare and immediately the other kids start going "Kiley, Kiley" and come over to play with you.
-How much you love animals. Especially Shadow. Sometimes he needs a break from all your Kiley love.
-Listening to you and your dad play. You don't laugh at anyone else like you laugh at him, and usually your dad is laughing even louder than you are: )
-Watching you organize toys. I can just about hear the wheels turning in your head as you take toys out of their baskets, put them back in, take 2 toys out stack them on top of each other, bang them together, put them away...
-How you are your dad's little cheerleader. Along with mama, your favorite thing to say is "YEAH YEAH DADA!!" As loud as you possibly can.
-How you love to be outside.
-How you love to go to the store.
-How you love to go to restaurants.
-How you love to go anywhere new and exciting. Even if it is close to nap time or bed time and I worry you will get fussy, you always surprise me.
-How you are starting to mimic sounds we say,  like "ba" for bath.
-How you will eat just about anything. Definitely not a picky eater. And you make it so easy to feed you. Usually we don't have to do a whole lot of clean up of you or the surrounding area.
-When you get excited and you start panting like a dog.
-When you get so excited you get the hiccups.
-When you crawl up to me and put your arms up, or grab my calves and smash your face into me.


Kiley Sue-

There is nothing in this world that makes me happier than being with you. Everything I do is for you. Watching you grow has been a huge blessing but also curse, because since you came into our lives time has gone so much faster. Too fast. Time really does fly travel at the speed of light when you are having fun. It really feels like it was just yesterday that we brought you home from the hospital except you are already 3/4 of the way to 1 year old! But when I get a hug or kiss from you, or you say "mama" or when I hear your beautiful laugh, I can't imagine going back to when you were a newborn and didn't do any of those things yet. I hope you know how much joy you have brought into this world, and never forget it. You are beautiful and already have such a beautiful sparkling personality, you are so smart, funny and curious, and can light up a room just by being in it. I can't imagine how much more personality you have yet to develop!

I'll love you forever, I'll like you for always, as long as I'm living, my baby you'll be.

Love,
Mommy