9 Months

Each month that passes I'm shocked by how quickly the time is moving and how much she changes from one photo to the next.  The weather is starting to cool off and I distinctly remember this time last year anticipating her arrival and now, a year later, we have this little lady wearing us out!  Here are some highlights from this month.

• Her first official word: duck.  About two months ago she got attached to her pink rubber duck that she plays with and her yellow rubber duck that she takes a bath with her.  When she sees them for the first time in the day she gets super excited and says, "du, du, du!"  It's pretty exciting.
• I continue to parent with my assistant Google.  Polly at 9 months still has no teeth which my boobs appreciate but the worrier in me is stressing about it.  This month I found myself Googling "baby never gets teeth" which was a TERRIBLE idea because apparently it's a thing that happens which can be caused by defects and all sorts of other scary things that you can find on the internet.  Tonight however she bit down on my finger and I'm pretty sure I felt a tooth!  
• Just when you think your house is baby proof your husband thinks she's found a piece of yarn on the floor but it's a baby snake that the cats brought up from the basement.  It didn't make into the mouth but I can't stop thinking about what if it had!  Then you freak out because THERE WAS A SNAKE IN YOUR HOUSE!
• Two weeks ago Ben and I were driving home from a wedding and while driving about 55mph down the highway someone rear ended us...while driving.  Think about that for a moment.  We were moving, rear ended and still moving.  It really freaked us out because we didn't see it coming and Polly was in the car.  No one was hurt but it scared Polly awake and gave me a nice neck ache for a few days.  What really freaked us out was that the person didn't stop.  We never even saw them.  I've had a hard time coming to terms with the fact that my little Polly lives in a world that I can't control.  That has really messed with my head.  
• It's a mistake to decide to use a rocking chair as the place where you want to take a monthly photo.  It takes about 50 tries to get one good one.  
• I'm tired.  So, so tired.