Letter to Bobbin - nine months

You would not sit still for this

Dear Bobbin,

You've almost been out as long as you were in! That milestone is fast approaching and will pass on the 10th of next month because you decided to stay in my belly until 41+1.

The last month you have done so many new things, and it has been, as ever, a delight to watch you learn. Your vocabulary is expanding and now includes Mum, Dad, Nan, hello, bye bye, ta, baby, star, duck and "raffe" for giraffe. You haven't tried to say Tricky for a while, but then the other day he came running in to tell me you had just said it. He was so chuffed and beamed with pride. Then he asked me to take you away so you wouldn't smash his block tower down. Ahh, sibling love.

Two weeks ago you started pushing a trolley along and walking with it. You look far too little to be doing this! It is super cute and you are just so proud of yourself when you do it. I was always saying that you wouldn't walk early like your brother did - he started pushing a trolley at the same age - but we'll just wait and see. No rush though, baby, you get up to enough mischief as it is.

When you're not walking with the trolley, you have advanced from crawling to speed crawling (still one foot, one knee) and the second you spy an open door or cupboard you zoom towards it. It is not uncommon for me to open the pantry door, look for something on a high shelf and then look down to see you between my feet, reaching for something breakable, obviously) when I could have sworn you were over the other side of the room.

Today another tooth popped through your gum FINALLY. It is tooth number three and has caused much misery in the last few days including putting you off your food. Operation shove all the mushy food in your mouth has been abandoned as you have made it crystal clear you will not have baby food. You know what you do and don't like, and that's awesome and frustrating at the same time. If I put anything you don't want in front of you, you pick it up and fling it to the floor. You could just leave it, but OH NO, it must be thrown as far as possible lest it take up valuable space for your cheese and carrots.

You are completely obsessed with dogs and also other babies, to the point where you will attempt to launch yourself from my arms/the carrier/the pram/anywhere to get to them. You adore Sprocket and can often be found at the back talking to him. He covers your hands with kisses which is both super cute and kinda repulsive at the same time. But it's, err, good for your immunity, right?

I so admire your spunk but I can see us butting heads (figuratively, as we've already done it literally) when you're older. Your Perth grandparents say the apple has not fallen far from the tree with you, my love. You certainly keep me on my toes.

Until next month, all my love,

Mama x