Dear Ethan,

How am I writing you your 9 month letter? This one feels like a particular milestone as it means I am coming to the end of my Maternity Leave. I’m back to work on the 3^rd January and I’m dreading it. I’m just not ready to leave you in someone else’s care while I go to work but I know it’s for the best. If I didn’t go to work money would be seriously tight and we couldn’t give you the things you deserve. Me going to work mean you can have holidays, treats and lovely toys.

I had a read over your last letter to remind myself how much has changed and boy, has a lot happened since then!

The biggest achievement has been that you have mastered crawling (on the 26^th October to be exact!) and since then we both need eyes in the back of our head as you are so fast. You had been bum shuffling for a while but one day you saw something that you wanted and just like that you were off. Since then you have gotten faster and faster and you have also learnt the art of pulling yourself up to standing. You always were a strong baby but now it’s just crazy. The other day you were in the kitchen with me and pulled yourself up on the chair then reached across to the table and let your feet swing – you really do live up to your nickname of monkey!

We also moved house at the end of November so your sudden ability to get about made things a tad awkward. We couldn’t leave you alone for a second without you getting in to some sort of mischief. At the moment you are ignoring the Christmas tree in favour of pulling yourself up on the TV unit and fiddling with the Xbox, Sky box and Daddy’s surround sound system. I have visions of the TV falling on top of you; everywhere seems to be a hazard these days. We moved from a small rented 2-bed end terrace in Otley to a much larger 3-bed mid terrace in Pool. Instead of your cot being in the spare room next to the guest bed you know have your own room that I can’t wait to decorate. Daddy and I clash on what we like but we never agree when it comes to design related things. The stair gates have been fitted too as you are crawling here, there and everywhere!

You now have 4 teeth and I think I saw a flash of white the other day so number 5 might be on its way. It felt like you had been teething for ages then a few days before you turned 7 months I was fishing food out of your mouth and I felt something sharp. That first tooth didn’t give you any bother but the second tooth came through a couple of days later and it did cause a few sleepless nights. Teeth 3 and 4 came through together last week. You had been dribbling loads for a few weeks and after a couple of bad nights where you were crying in your sleep I knew those pesky teeth were coming. The only downside was you cut those two teeth during a short stay in hospital…

Last Monday (the weekend after moving), just before Daddy took Granny, Granda, Uncle Michael and Uncle Christopher to the airport I happened to notice that you sounded a bit wheezy on it. Initially I thought it was due to the lingering cough you had had for the past few weeks but by the time Daddy got back you had gotten worse and we could see you sucking in with each breath. A quick phone call to 111 resulted in a trip to Harrogate A&E where you were admitted with Bronchiolitis. I was wheeled up to the Children’s Ward with you in my arms holding an oxygen mask over your face and it was horrible. It was surreal too as we were wheeled past Pannal Ward where I had given birth to you. Thankfully you were discharged the following day but boy did that give us a fright!

Weaning has been going slowly but you have dropped a lot of milk feeds so I’m guessing you are taking in food. We are mainly doing Baby Led Weaning so it’s hard to judge what you do eat (although judging by your nappies you are definitely eating something). Initially things seemed to be going very slowly, we had good days and bad days but now you eat most things. You still create a massive mess and food gets everywhere but you look like you are having so much fun that I don’t mind the clean-up afterwards. Your favourite foods are Yorkshire puddings, roast potatoes and carrots. You get so excited when I lift a piece of fruit out of the fruit bowl and go mad for apples in particular. Your arms start flapping and I can’t get it cut up quick enough! Initially you hated to be spoon fed but now you don’t mind it so much especially if I’m giving you yoghurt. We discovered doing a mix of spoon feeding and BLW works best for us although you do prefer to feed yourself most of the time.

Ahh… sleep… I think I remember that… Honestly Ethan you are a pretty awful sleeper. You didn’t used to be too bad but we have went through a few sleep regressions which were hard going! We are still trying to teach you the art of self-settling but it’s tough. You scream and get yourself worked up into such a state once we lay you down for a nap. I know I can easily boob you to sleep but you start nursery in a few weeks and I want to crack this before then. I would rather you get distressed at sleep time with me and Daddy compared to being in a room full of strangers. Most nights you go down around 6:30/7pm then waken half an hour later for a top of feed. A good night has you wakening twice more before 7am, a bad night is anything worse than that. You have slept through the night once (the night the clocks changed) but you haven’t done it since. One day you will crack it but for now we just embrace it.

Your hair is finally starting to grow too. You’re still pretty bald but the hair is growing although it’s very blonde and fine. Most babies around your age all have a good mop going on but you’re just our little bald boy. You can definitely rock the grandad look with your cardigans and Christmas jumpers!

Our weeks are still quite busy but our favourite class has to be Baby Sensory on a Monday. I’ll be so sad when it finishes, out of all the groups we have tried it really is the best.

You really are the happiest and smiliest baby we know. You flash you gorgeous gummy smile to anyone and everyone and are so affectionate. You love nothing more that cuddles with me but Daddy is all about the rough play. You still love making dinosaur noises with him and using him as a human climbing frame in bed on a morning. I definitely think you will be a daddy’s boy in the future.

I really can’t believe how much you have changed in these past 3 months and I’m excited to see what the next 3 months will bring with your first Christmas, starting nursery and before we know it, your first birthday.

You bring such joy to our lives Ethan, we really can’t imagine what life would be like without you.

All our love

Mama (and Daddy)

The past 3 months in pictures...