Asher–9 months old

Asher is changing and seeming older and older each day.  He turned nine months old, and we seem to see more and more of his cute personality emerging all the time.  Here are a few things about him at nine months:

• He has learned to crawl, but still prefers his army crawl as he is much faster that way.
• He can pull himself up to things, and thinks he is pretty cool when he does.  The first thing he pulled himself up to was our little trampoline.  Whenever I can’t find him, I know to check by the trampoline in the living room, and there he is, walking along it. 
• He can pull himself into a sitting position, and likes to be sitting up to watch his three crazy brothers.
• He has four teeth – two on the top and two on the bottom.
• He is usually very happy and easy to get to laugh.  He’s also quite ticklish!
• He loves to look at books, especially with a flap, but he usually needs to turn the pages himself or hold something in his lap to be involved with the reading.
• He has his own doggy and blanket like his brothers, and he is liking his dog more and more.
• He likes to play peek-a-boo, putting his hands in front of his face to hide and then peek out.
• He just learned how to clap, and grins from ear to ear and claps when we all say, “Yay!”
• He is still pretty receptive to other people, and will smile and usually be fine when other people hold him.  He is starting to cry sometimes when I put him down and leave the room, so I’m sure his separation anxiety will kick in more soon.
• HLHS Update:  His heart is strong and working like it should at his age.  His oxygen saturation levels are usually in the low 80’s (which is normal for his stage).  He seems to be on a normal developmental track, although he is a bit slower than my other boys have been at reaching certain large-motor-skill milestones.  We do notice as he’s army crawling around the house, he’ll pause and put his head down to rest sometimes, but then he’s right back at it.  He is getting monthly shots to help him fight off any RSV infections, and he still takes 1/2 an aspirin every day.  He has his next checkup with the cardiologist in February.