3/4ths of a year!

9 months. whoa, buddy.

this month was a blur. in the last month, ethan has become quick on his knees...he crawls all over the place, exploring new territory and seeing what he can get into! he loves to empty things around the house-- baskets, his diaper bag, potted plants, etc. ethan pulls up effortlessly on everything now. i'm sure in no time at all, he will begin cruising.

at his 9-month well check, ethan weighed in at 20lbs 9oz and measured 29-3/4 inches tall! ethan remains a good eater-- we are trying more table foods in addition to his 1-2 jars of baby food per meal in order to keep this kid full! recent favorites include carrots, cauliflower, lunch meat, chicken, and toast.

ethan's newest tricks are clapping his hands and waving goodbye! he "talks" a lot, mostly "dadadada". we're still working on the "mamama", but it will come soon enough (and never stop!).

we are ever thankful for ethan-- he is a great blessing to our family and brightens each day! this sunday at church, we are dedicating ethan to the Lord. this was done months ago, but sunday will be our official time to publicly state that we are committed to raising our son in the fear of the Lord and the wisdom of the Gospel. our prayer is that he would come to know Christ, to serve Him all his days, and bring God glory. we pray that he will be a champion for Christ, and "oak of righteousness, a planting of the Lord for the display of His splendor." (Isaiah 61:3). we love you, ethan!

i love how ethan hooks his big toes on the tray of his booster seat! he does it every time and i finally caught it on camera.

what a happy boy! he doesn't even mind the mess mommy makes sometimes while feeding him!

tough guy

while standing up was his newest trick, getting down was a little harder-- ethan fell asleep standing up in his crib!

big blue eyes

sleeping peacefully, twisted up like a pretzel

mr. serious

i love those little toes!

going for a walk with daddy

trying out our new sling