Nine Months

For those of you who knew me personally when I was pregnant with Em, you know that I was not the 'glowing, radiant' pregnant type.  I was the one who kept forgetting she was pregnant until some part of me rammed into a door or chair or wall.  I didn't like not being able to do 'normal' stuff, especially when we moved into the house and tiles needed to be laid, Todd needed help installing appliances, and other hands-on projects that required lifting more than just my whale-like self.  So, it goes to say that I counted down every day until I was due, and now... now my little girl is nine months and a day old.  She has gotten so big, with such a big personality on her.  I still can't believe that she's been out in the world longer than she was cramped up inside of me!  It's all so huge and awesome that it's hard to believe.  She has a large portfolio of word-esque sounds, although they generally aren't connected with anything in particular yet.  She's desperately trying to walk and knows right from wrong (she loves to 'sneak' to the dog's food and try to get into it when we're not looking, and as soon as we say her name in that 'parental' voice, she just turns and looks at us with this big angelic "I didn't do anything Mommy/Daddy!" face... it's hilarious, which makes it hard to keep a straight face).  People warn you that your kids grow up fast, so treasure it while you can.  I didn't ever grasp, though I thought I did, what that actually meant until I realized that my not-so-little bundle of Mexican Jumping Beans was once, not too long ago, a snuggling, cooing, barely smiling little thing.  Unbelievable.