Tomorrow Lucy turns 9 months, I have decided to take a page from other Mommy blogs, most notably Heather Armstrong and  start a monthly newsletter to Lucy, because I’m not sure that I am exploiting her enough already… here goes.

Dear Lucy,

This month you learned so many new things, you cut your first three teeth and I am amazed at the amount you have grown both physically and mentally in the past nine months. The beginning of this month you were flying back from Florida on your first airplane trip – you were so good on the plane, taking everything in stride and being so cute that even when you became really cranky those around you still wondered at how adorable you are.

Once we were back from Florida you perfected your ability to crawl and it wasn’t two weeks later that one Thursday night you grabbed on to your Dad’s belt and pulled yourself right up onto your feet. You didn’t even realized what you were doing, but pretty soon you were doing it all the time.  When you see me, or your father, and raise your arms to be picked up it just about breaks my heart.

You say “Mama” all the time, but  you say it to me and your Dad and the cat, it’s clear you don’t understand who that is. You have gotten really good at feeding yourself, cheerios and puffs all manage to eventually make it into your mouth, you have also developed a serious fondness for banana yogurt.

You spent a weekend with your cousin Sean and marveled at how big and fast he is, I can’t wait until you are older and able to play with him and all your other cousins you haven’t had a chance to meet yet.

You and your friend Grace rule daycare, you are the two who can stand and get around wherever you want. I can see the younger, smaller kids look at you the way that you look at Sean and that’s pretty cool.

Sure there are some things we are still trying to change, like when you lick the trashcan because you can see your reflection in it- but for the most part you are absolutely perfect just the way you are… you are becoming less of an infant and more and more a toddler everyday.

Your favorite things right now are the 6:58 drawing of the Pennsylvania lottery, “petting” the cat, splashing in the bathtub and eating my car keys.

I love you so much – Mama