Lily Bell- 9 months

How is it possible? I honestly feel like it was just a few feedings ago that she was a newborn. Where has the time gone? Frankly, I wish it would just stop because Lily's babyhood is passing way too quickly. She has honestly been the most delightful baby. She really never cries. In fact, the other day she started to cry and both Benson and McKay started shouting frantically, "Mom, Mom, help her! Help her! What's the matter with her?" She cries so rarely they didn't know what to make of it.

Lily is such a social little person. She loves people and always has. People love her too. She is quick to smile and make eye contact. She even flirts with handsome boys (can't believe how early that starts)! She seems to have a little crush on her Uncle Dave. Whenever he comes around she positively lights up and smiles, coos, and giggles at him. It's pretty hilarious.

These last few days have been big for Lily. It all started 3 days ago when BJ was leaving for work. He waved at her and said, "Bye Bye, Lily". She looked right back at him and, to our mutual surprise, started flapping her hand in this adorable little wave! 

The same day we were playing patty-cake and she realized that when we say "toss it up high" we lift up her arms. So now when we do the rhyme she'll raise her arms at the appropriate moment. Little smartie pants. 

Last night BJ taught her how to give kisses too. Now if you ask her for a kiss, she'll lean in with her mouth wide open. Look out!

Today I set her down to play with some toys and she began to crawl! Up to this point she has been crawling backward but today she figured it out the forward movement! She has been motoring around all day and by the end of the day she was pulling herself up on the couch, bed, and table!! I'm afraid she'll be walking by dinner tomorrow!

She now has 4 teeth, 2 on the top and 2 on the bottom and she LOVES table food. She's a better eater than the boys. She loves spaghetti, mango, peas, carrots, potatoes, peaches, bread, pineapple, chicken noodle soup, and cake! She won't even touch baby food. If she has even one bite she starts gagging and fussy. By the second bite she clamps her mouth shut and refuses to open it again.

So much has happened so quickly, I feel I can hardly keep up. So I say, "Stop, Lily. Slow down. Stay little." She is too precious to miss. It's funny but it breaks my heart a little each time she grows up. I guess I need to get used to it since that's the whole point. Still, there's something inside of me that aches to keep her safe in my arms, full of her smiles and cuddles. 

My dear friend JoAnna Hamilton had a baby girl at the same time I had Lily. She once said to me, "I feel like my 3rd baby was a special gift from Heavenly Father to me". I feel exactly the same way. Carrying Lily through those 9 months was incredibly difficult. Because of the constant pain I felt while carrying her, I look back on it as a very dark time in my life.

 But what a light Lily has been in our lives. After struggling through a lot of darkness, Heavenly Father sent me Lily. She is a bright spot in every day.