Nine months but not sure I'll survive to see ten...

Look at my precious Little Man!  Could you not just eat him up, he's so cute?!?!?

Overall, I have avoided comparing my two kiddos.  They are each individuals and I want to make sure to treat them as such.  

But the time has come to point out the glaringly obvious.  

They are night and day different.

Where Aubrey Kate was calm, quiet and content to play with an empty box for weeks on end, Rhys is lightening fast, loud and content with absolutely nothing for longer than 2 minutes and 14 seconds.  

And if he can't figure out a way to chew on something, that time is reduced to 26 seconds.  

Max.

Aubrey Kate chewed her hands almost exclusively.  Even her day care workers would say they'd never seen any baby chew on her hands like she did.  Rhys, however, chews on everything else.  Toys, chairs, my leg, shoes, the crib, the toilet (should "we" forget to put the seat back down).  

Honestly, we haven't found something he won't chew.

Except for solid food.  

After he finally caught on and started eating solid food, he then decided equally as quickly he was over it.  I think he simply doesn't want to be bothered.  The bottle is much more efficient and being strapped in a high chair is not at all fun.  

But that's too bad.

Admittedly, I let him avoid eating.  Every time I put him in the chair, he would scream.  And, as I mentioned, he's loud.  With the non-stop talking coming from Aubrey Kate, the screaming was (and is) something I genuinely dislike.  So he'd scream, I'd try for as long as I could stand it, then I'd take him out of the chair and give his what he wanted.  A bottle.  

However, his anemia check was done for his nine month appointment.  Normal is 3.9 to 5.something.  Rhys was 3.86 so just below.  

Looks like I have to put on my big girl pants and get over it.  

We did give him some rice and corn last night during dinner.  Not sure how much of it he actually ate but he had a blast playing.  Believe it or not, we ate a peaceful dinner.  All together.  

The lower numbers could also be a result of a stomach bug that swept through our family while we were visiting Alabama.  Rhys had the worst runny tummy.  As did Mom and I.  We were also nauseous and had body aches like the flu.  Homeboy was so fussy.  I held him for almost four solid days.  Carried him around from task to task and room to room.  

The only time he was better was after I threatened him with an entire afternoon of wondering blindly around Target.  Even though he is the absolute best shopper, for some reason that threat worked and he played well.  On the floor.  Outside my arms.

Considering how ridiculously awful we felt, I'm seriously not sure how he wasn't just thrashing around on the floor screaming.  

That's what I wanted to do anyway.

I suspect that's what contributed to his weight too.  He only weighed 20.2 lbs.  Last month, he was 20 lbs.  That's a slim gain.  He's 29 inches long.  Both stats put him smack in the middle of the pack.  69% for height and 49% for weight.  

His growth has definitely leveled out.  He's wearing the same size now he was at Christmas.  The clothes were a little lose then and they're a little tight now but still, its the same stuff.  

Rhys is all boy.  An explorer, quick as a bunny when he crawls and doing new tricks every day.  He can walk behind the little toy train while he pushes it.  I've watched him actually steer the thing away from obstacles so he can keep going.  He can climb the stairs and if I let him, he'd go head first down the slide at the park.  He loves to swing.  Watches his shadow while he swings and giggles.  Makes me giggle.  

When Chris comes home, Rhys hears the door open and heads towards him.  In the mornings, he goes looking for Chris in the bathroom to see if he's in the shower.  After nap, he crawls straight for Aubrey Kate's door.  He'll stand up and bang on it, if I let him.  If I leave the room, or just get out of his sight, he will start whimpering.  

He loves to be chased.  Loves to be tickled.  Loves to play peek-a-boo.  Loves his Froggy.  Loves any and all music.  Loves anything Aubrey Kate is playing with.  

Really, this little miracle man of ours loves life.  His seriousness is still there but he's certainly more social now.  Even smiled at the doctor yesterday.  His curiosity grows every minute.  And if there's a way to crawl into something, pull something down, tear something apart or knock something over, he is on it.  

He keeps me on my toes.  Lord, help me.  Letting him explore and be a boy and balancing keeping him safe is just plain hard.  But then he giggles at me and I think, I'm the most blessed girl in the entire world.  I'll take the hard.  That smile is worth far more.