Jo Jo’s biggest news this month was walking. She is a’walking everywhere! She has even started running… and hopping, like a frog, which makes her giggle like crazy. It’s just truly weird to see my baby actually walking around like it ain’t no thing. She’s still my little peanut!
My curious girl explores the doctor’s office at her 9 month check-up, and plays/walks in her big cousin’s bedroom.
Of course, this month featured her first Christmas, and she really enjoyed walking over to every Christmas tree she could and grabbing ornaments. My Christmas tree is up on the table, so she needed special permission to get to it. We went to a Unitarian Universalist church for Christmas Eve, because I thought she’d enjoy the singing. Actually, it was just a lot of work because she wanted to get down and walk around, so I had to stand in the back holding her, instead.
Below: Opening presents with her cousin, looking at the tree before going to church on Christmas Eve, playing with her electronic kitty on Christmas Eve
Jo Jo now has seven teeth, and she likes to bite. I have discovered that when it looks like she’s going to nuzzle and cuddle me when I pick her up, she is actually going to bite me. It really hurts! She now puts her arms around me and buries her head in my chest when strangers smile at her. She gives me lots of hugs, and comes running to me when I get home from work, which is always the best part of my day! She’s not much for cuddling in bed, though, she has to be really out before she’ll let me hold her and snuggle.
Her favorite things to do now are to reach up to table tops or surfaces and pull everything down, run and jump and chase the cats, play peek-a-boo with a curtain and a window (there happens to be one by her crib), and suck her pacifier. Yes the pacifier has made a huge comeback, even though she didn’t want it from 4-8 months old. She has a favorite book that makes animal sounds, and she continues to love phones, remotes, and anything with buttons that the grown-ups use. She’s not saying any words, still, but making all the right sounds and babbles, so I’m sure it’s going to happen anytime. She understands a lot, and communicates her needs with no problem. She uses her vocals and babbles to make question sounds when she’s curious, and shakes her head “no” when she doesn’t want something.
Jo Jo likes to sled up and down the hill to grandma’s, unfortunately it’s been too cold for us to do much outside. She hates snowsuits, they are just too constricting for her. She loves to go shopping and reach for things from the cart. She still likes toast, yogurt, scrabbled egg, and pieces of pizza with any toppings. She has finally stopped choking on chunky foods. She lets me feed her purees while she eats the finger foods.
Her personality is still all focus, focus, focus. She is driven towards the thing she wants, whatever it is, and she will find a way to get it. Her big toothy smiles light up the room and her determination and ingenuity (in getting into everything) completely blows everyone away!
Two months till birthday party time!
Mother of All Things 
What a joy to read how well she’s doing! Thanks for these updates…they made me smile. 🙂