How do I begin? Nine months have passed since Claire’s birth. She’s becoming more autonomous each day.

Her eating habits are fickle. (However, I realized her refusal a few days ago might have arisen out of the fact she didn’t want to eat the Gerber ground up turkey mixed in with her veggie; I don’t blame her, as it smelled like cat food to me.) Her before-nap habits can also be fickle (sometimes she doesn’t even require — or tolerate — five minutes of rocking and cuddling). Claire has four upper teeth emerging now. She sits and bounces on her bottom for fun. She squeezes and hugs her super soft teddy bear from Aunt LR. When shown teddy or her baby dolly or anything with pronounced features, if you say, “Show me the nose. Where’s the nose?” Claire will press the nose with her thumb.

She likes to press buttons: on her exersaucer, there is an apple which, when the button is pressed, causes a smiling little worm to pop up and say “Hi there!” or “Peekaboo!” or laugh. She also presses the garage door button to open and close it (at my request only). Claire has started to pull up on things (sofa, stairs) — all with supervision. She even went into her play yard a couple of times and played happily; but only if someone is nearby. She has begun to crawl on her hands and knees, though she still prefers the “army crawl.”

When feeling happy, Claire slaps her hands on her legs, smiles, and does the Pant of Joy. Sometimes when she laughs, she sounds like Horshack from Welcome Back Kotter.

Today I read Sandra’s Boynton’s Doggies: A Counting and Barking Book twelve times in a row. Every time we get to the number nine, I read (with great drama): Nine dogs on a moonlit night!, and Claire shudders and squeals with a thrill because that is always followed by a hearty “Awwooooooooooooooooo!”

Claire spends hours each day playing with her books. I think she plays with them more than with her other toys. She pulls them off the shelves and pages through them. She will lie on her back and hold them with her hands and feet, turning the book around, opening pages, lifting flaps. She enjoys the touch-and-feel books, such as That’s Not My Dragon. She is beginning to understand words. There was a butterfly in one book; she has butterflies on her bedroom walls. When I asked, “Where’s the butterfly?” Claire pointed to it on the page. She’s also fascinated with flowers in her books (she has flowers, bumblebees, ladybugs, and butterflies on her walls).

She enjoys pawing through the magazine basket. The New Yorker covers are sturdy and, when torn off, withstand a lot of abuse while providing many minutes of crinkly wrinkled satisfaction. Claire is starting to understand the word no, which is usually uttered in the phrases No! Yukky! and No! Ouchy!

Whenever she is finished (with eating, being in her exersaucer), I ask “All done?” and use the sign language gesture for that. She has begun to make a gesture in response — it’s not the exact same, and I don’t think she understands what it means quite, but she is imitating. That’s important progress. Eventually (I hope) she’ll sign back to me in confirmation, and maybe she’ll even initiate someday.

Claire definitely knows her name. And I think she is beginning to understand that Mama and Dada are specific names as well.

I love how her eyes smile and twinkle when she makes fish mouth; she knows she is being amusing and cute and is so happy in the moment. I love when she tucks her head against my neck and burrows in when she’s sleepy or feeling cuddly. I love her curiosity; she has figured out how to turn on the floor fan (which is well-protected against little fingers). I love how she lets me smooch and smooch her cheeks, neck, head, chin; she smiles and presses her head against my lips. I love that she follows me into the kitchen and hangs out when I’m cooking. I love how vocal she is. I just love this kid, period. There are a ton of new photos and videos at my Flickr page (restricted to friends and family). Go visit my adorable daughter if you have the time and inclination.