9 months...

Our little Noah is 9 months old. It is a kind of hard for us to believe. Caton and I both agree that although he is 9 months, it feels as if he is only 6 or 7 months. Those two months in the the hospital kind of throw us off. He's doing everything that a 9 month old should -- crawling, eating, laughing, babbling -- it just feels like he shouldn't be this old quite yet. Or maybe we just don't want him to be this old quite yet.

Either way, 9 month has passed and here we are. Noah is getting bigger every day and there is not much I can do to slow him down -- literally. He is a crawling maniac. He reminds me of a wind up toy that you wind then release as soon as you put in on a flat surface. That is Noah. He hits the floor running -- or crawling. He puts everything into his mouth which makes for lovely drool puddles anywhere he takes a break. He smiles and laughs at anyone who will pay attention to him and he sporadically waves (a trick that the older kids try and try to get him to repeat).

Layla is my little mother to him. She watches Noah while I do various chores and although she is not old enough to be left alone at home, I predict she will be the most awesome babysitter. I seriously lucked out. In a year or so, I am going to have the best life. Free babysitting. Heaven.

Jack is my chronic kisser. It's like he has some weird tic that makes him stop whatever he is doing, run over to Noah, and smother him with kisses. For no reason! I thought Jack's kissing obsession was just a phase but I think that is just who Jack is: imagine a mix of Calvin (of Calvin and Hobbs) and Agnes from Despicable Me ("It's so fluffy I'm gonna die!")

Isaac plays companionably beside Noah. Noah will sometimes grab for a toy that Isaac is already playing with. I'll hear a "No, no Noah!" and then it's back to peaceful playing side by side. Isaac still loves to snuggle (he will snuggle with me EVERY time I ask for it) and so my snuggle fix is still satisfied as Noah is too busy to be the snuggling type.

As you can tell, I love my kids and there is no shortage of entertainment around here. Things can get a little crazy, but I will admit that I have exceptionally good kids. They are bright and loving and kind and fun. I wouldn't trade them for anything.