Gemma at 9 months

A progression of Gemma on her 9 month birthday

Here's what our sweet Gemma was up to between 8 and 9 months:

• Lets you know (loudly) if you're not getting her more food fast enough.
• Sometimes sucks her thumb during the day.
• Sleeps on her side
• Upon waking up she immediately leg thrashes (both legs up and down, slamming on the carpet).
• Can pincher grasp peas and such. It's such a gentle grasp though. She doesn't crush or squish the peas (or whatever small food) at all.
• LOVES jumping and swinging in the bouncer (and has for a while now). We call her jumping bean.
• Ticklish on her feet. (Pippa playing with a paintbrush discovered this.) Also ticklish on her neck and armpits.
• Has long eyelashes but they are so blonde.
• Is excited to nurse - she does little pants and has all four limbs flapping.
• Likes to swing outside with big pushes.
• Sucks her thumb and puts her head on my shoulder when I sing to her before sleep. I love this so much.
• Gags more often than I expected with baby led weaning (basically, she eats what we eat from the get go instead of starting with purees). But has never choked.
• Blows raspberries a lot and on me, too. It tickles!
• Is a happy, calm, long nurser first thing in the morning. Is a very unhappy, screaming, short nurser before bed.
• We let her sleep in (we woke her at 9 - I still wonder how long she would go if we let her) and then only had two naps for the first time on May 6.
• Pats her mouth with her hand while saying ahhhhhh.
• Sucks her thumb a lot while awake. Gemma loves sucking our fingers, too.
• Gemma is an ambi-turner! (Instead of just rolling to the left.) This happened at the end of the month.
• Occasionally Gemma will stop nursing to suck her thumb for a bit then she'll go back to nursing.
• Puts her bottom lip up over the top lip often.
• Claps when I walk in and have been gone for a while.