Henry James Nine Month Update

• Henry is starting to commando crawl, the first time was in in late September towards a slide of apple and now occasionally, if he is not too tired, he will crawl towards a toy.
• Lily has been going to a handful of birthday parties and Henry gets to go with him and last month was able to pet his first animal, a chinchilla no less, at the Nature Center at Greenburgh!
• On my birthday we went on a family adventure to the New York Botanical Garden – our first time but certianly not our last!
• At the start of September on Saturday morning’s Henry now goes to Baby & Me gym.  The class is supposed to teach babies “gross motor and language skills through the use of soft play equipment, music and circle time” but since the teacher quite after the first session it’s more of a gymnastics play time but he still has fun.
• Henry also started a program at a local private gym called Tiny Tykes for non-walking babies 4 – 11 months. He is obsessed with teh stretches, exercises, songs, dances, and baby-safe rides and adventures but even as I write this I am realizing in a month or two we will need to find a new class, oh Henry!
• Little man got to see his cousin Emily in mid September and also meet his second cousin, Shea (my cousin Shannon’s son) and this was extra special as my grandma who is almost 90 got to have all 4 of her great-grandchildren together 

Weight:  Almost 20lbs (19lbs 2oz if we are being specific) and this means he and Lily combined are nearly 50lbs!!

Length:  Nearly 28 inches (and getting too long for nearly all his 6-9 month clothes)

Teeth: We are holding steady at 8 teeth.

Loves:  Remains the happiest little boy.  EATING – we even asked the pediatrician how much is too much as this boy can go on and on.  He absolutely loves beetroot overnight oats, frozen watermelon ice pops, apple sauce, and anything else.   He is loving his different gymnastics classes as well as the handful of weekly music classes he attends at local libraries.   As far as favorite toys, he is an equal opportunity chewer right now – everything goes in his mouth from cucumber and crusts of bread to toys that fit.

Hates: Very little, especially compared to Lily.  At his 9-month check up he was not a happy boy due to his shots or as Mark calls them “jabs” – when het got COVID and flu vaccines at same time but nobody would be happy with that.  He also notices if you put him down and walk away from him now and makes his displeasure known.

Moments to Remember:  I ask Mark at least a few times a week “why is he so big” and it’s so true! I could go on and on but a handful of special Henry quirks I don’t want to forget!

• He is very vocal and it really sounds like he is saying “Dada” when he babbles – even that Lily thought he was saying it.  He is also sha
• Shakes his head in the “no” motion aggressively but usually just when he’s excited
• While he has been sitting up for a while starting mid September he started trying to escape his baby bath tube and by the end of the month – September 24th – he had his first bath without a tub. He has even had a few baths with Lily but he is still working up to that.
• Lily continues to ask for Henry first thing in the morning – she is the sweetest big sister and and when we put him in her crib she wants to give him a toy and tuck him in with her blankets.
• When we are out and about we insist Lily holds our hand but we have come up with an alternative where she can hold on to Henry’s Doona and she’s obsessed with pushing him, oh so cute!