Suzianne’s ninth month brought with it several firsts that gave Dave and me pause:

1. The little girl giggle. Dave was playing with her the other day and this little girl laugh came out. Not a baby one, a little girl one. It was crazy.

2. The peek around. She very aware of her surroundings these days. She’s learning that something interesting is always happening and she’s gonna peep it out, no matter what you’re trying to get her to focus on:

3. The red-headed temper. Ours is an extremely happy baby, who rarely cries. But lately, she’s not a fan of us taking things from her that she’s deemed fit to gnaw on. Apparently, iPhones are TASTY, and mommas who take them from you are EVIL.

4. Mobility. She’s not yet crawling forward, but this week she has become a speed demon backwards and sideways. It’s fun to watch, because she’s like a whole new baby when she’s backing up all over the place. So cool to watch her set her sights on something and then work to reach it.

5. Standing. It’s also odd to see her standing up. Not on her own, of course; but to see her lean-standing is still crazy.

It occurs to me that, in my mind, she’s still a little baby. In reality, she’s well on her way to becoming a little girl.

Watch her grow! Take a scroll through the Month-by-Month archives.