Some Small Growth Chart Moments

Here are just a few things Jack is doing at 9 1/2 months.

• He has learned how to point.  He points at something specific that he may want or just think is neat, but he also points just to see his fingers point.  He'll study his fingers, marveling at the new contortions they're doing. 
• Jack is standing by himself now.  At first, he didn't realize he was doing it. He would switch a toy from one hand to the other, while standing, and not fall on his rump.  I even 'fought' him over putting on a jacket one time, the whole time he was standing without holding on to anything.  Now, I think he tests it out every so often to see how long he can keep his balance.  He does a great job!  My prediction was that he will be walking at the end of his 9th month.  We'll see!
•  His crawling is getting better and better because of his new sense of balance and strength.  He can crawl right over me (I call it climbing over Mt. Mommy) and through the bottom rungs of the kitchen chairs.  He also loves to crawl in and out of his big Fisher Price toy.  I think he'll be the boy who builds forts to climb into.  
• He loves to play the throwing game.  He will throw a toy off of his highchair endlessly!  When Daddy is holding him, he'll throw the toy (or spoon, vitamin bottle, or shoe...) down, and Daddy will lower him to the toy to grab it.  This game goes on until Daddy can no longer bend over.  Jack LOVES it.
• And as I mentioned in my last post, he's becoming quite the talker.  It's so adorable to hear him talk to his toys, mimic sounds from a toy, and talk to us as if asking us in depth questions.  Or maybe he's telling us something important at the time.  We just don't know . 

I am really looking forward to the holidays when we'll get to see all of our family.  My prediction will be that he'll be running around, trying to keep up with his many cousins come Christmastime.  We'll see!