dear little buddy

i love you. you are perhaps the best baby in the world. we just can't believe that you are barely 9 months old, and already so advanced in your social and motor skills! (even the doctor was surprised!)

there are a few things i would like to share with you.

"no" does not mean "turn around and grin at mommy, then go back to what you are doing." "no," in fact, means, "stop what you are doing, right now please."

the cat runs away from you because she doesn't like her tail being pulled. she is wary of your adorable giggles when she comes near you. chasing her, no matter how fast you can crawl, is fruitless, although entertaining.

that food in a bowl on the floor? right next to the intriguing bowl of water? those belong to the dog honey, not to you. mommy doesn't enjoy mopping up water off of the kitchen floor.

we are just so glad we have a basket full of fun toys for you! these toys mean that the bookcase full of DVDs (which are not included in the basket) do not belong to you. throwing them across the room doesn't count as "playing with your toys."

you should be really careful about shoving things in your mouth--even things you're supposed to eat. it's pretty scary for mommy and daddy when you gag yourself.

mommy's hair is not a toy. neither is daddy's. (although it can be funny for mommy to see daddy's reaction when you use his chest hair to pull yourself into a standing position, it really isn't funny.)

the way you "sing" yourself to sleep is just adorable.

speaking of the sleep thing. i love that you take naps in your crib. but when you cry for 15 minutes, then nap for 10, then cry for 15, then nap for 10, it's not very good for you. you should cry for 15 minutes then nap for two hours. you are so much happier after a long nap.

you are such a genius. you know when mommy and daddy are eating, and make a beeline straight for us. then open your mouth expectantly, like a baby bird. and 99% of the time you get fed.

it's great that you're so cute, even when strange old women say funny things to mommy and daddy then touch you. we cringe but you love it (i think).

even though you just love the price is right, drew carey just doesn't do as well as bob barker. sad you'll never know that.

i know you think that the keyboard on the laptop is just for you, but when mommy has to retype something three times, it's not so cute anymore. and when daddy ends up three screens back because you hit the backspace button so much, i think he gets kind of frustrated. along those same lines--power cords, vcrs, tvs, playstations, the power converter box for the computer, etc. aren't toys. neither are outlets. (good thing we have those plastic covers, huh!)

playing with mommy's cell phone is just fine, as long as you don't eat it. blackberries are food. mommy's blackberry is not.

i love you, little buddy. i am so proud of how much you have grown. you keep mommy and daddy running, and i'm sure that the older you get the more running we will do. it has been fun watching you go from grabbing fingers to grabbing eyelids. from playing with your hands to playing with everything you can get your hands on.

love,

mommy