They Grow Up So Fast

The title above is clearly going to apply to a lot of posts from here on out, so I'll just use it now and get it out of the way.

But it really does feel like she's made massive developmental strides in the last few weeks. In the day or two before her 9-month doctor's appointment, she started clapping, waving, and high-fiving. And a day or two after the appointment, she was pulling herself up to a standing position by grabbing our hands. A few days after that (and every day since), all she wants to do is this:



And that was 2 weeks ago. She's much better at it now.

Yesterday, she stood up by herself in her kiddie pool, which was all the more impressive because she was standing in 3 inches of water.
And this morning, after moaning in her crib for a few minutes before her nap, she decided to start crying. When this happens, we usually let her go for a little while, and most times, she stops after a few minutes and falls asleep. This time, it went on for some time, and when I went to check on her (and her diaper, which is usually the problem if she won't calm down), I was greeted by something that looked like this:
Except significantly less happy. Little bugger had pulled herself up all on her own. I have no idea how much of the whining was done from a standing position. One clear instance where a video monitor would've been worthwhile.

I should note three things about the above picture. First, it was staged. I stood her up and she just held on. Second, it was taken more than a month ago. Third, I lowered the crib base about six-inches right after I took the picture. So when she pulled herself up this time, she wasn't nearly as high above the railing.

Physical stuff aside, she's really babbling away now, too. She seems to be naming things, although at this point, everything is "Ba!" Points at a ball? "Ba!" Points at a ring? "Ba!" Points at the dog? "Ba!"

And speaking of rings, she's a pro at the Rock-a-Stack. For a while, as with all her toys, she was much more into taking them apart or knocking them over than putting them back together again. Now, though, she carefully puts the rings back on the post, unless my foot is nearby, then she puts a ring on my big toe. Still... Progress!

Granted, all this progress comes with a price. As I said in a recent Tweet, she'll (hopefully) never have fewer teeth than she has now. She'll never walk less than she does now. She'll never be the lump who didn't smile at me when I held her.

I think I can live with that.

Update: I forgot one other thing that this little girl has decided she's big enough for. She has to feed herself. Even if it means spitting food out so she can be the one to shovel it back it. You can see how well that worked out yesterday.
I guess I got my beet mess after all.