Well month nine started w/the Croup.  That is one childhood sickness we do not need to experience again.  Of course it also happened over the New Year holiday so the timing was perfectly horrible in terms of getting in to the Dr?it was also the first week I returned back to work.

While we were waiting to see the Doctor, Diego looked across the room and started waving at a lady sitting in the waiting room.  We also made friends w/a  biker dude.  Nothing like a cute face to pave a road thru differences.  2 more teeth this month this; time on top.  A middle and a side tooth.  The huge news?he learned to crawl one night right before bed.  So cute b/c he just scoots around like a choo choo train and looks so petite b/c he?s no longer stretched out flat.  He also has a great little lion roar and when he sees the cats he roars and starts after them.  They move to higher ground pretty quickly.   Not only is he crawling but he is pulling himself up to stand and can cruise along.  This happened w/in the same day as the crawling.  He also wants us to ?walk? him around everywhere.  He is actually quite good w/his footsteps it?s just his balance that keeps him from doing it all alone!!!! We?re in trouble.  His roar is so funny b/c if you initiate he will go back and forth with you for quite some time.  I also see him using that as an expression for when he gets frustrated.  His problem solving skills are really developing and he is beginning to enter the object permanence stage?he also wants to eat everything we eat?so another motivation to stay on our best behavior!   Diego has also started initiating more ?play? with us.  The other day in the hall he was crawling away and I said ?Where are you going?? he sat up, looked at me got a michievous look and set off crawling faster?I said ?I?m gonna get you!? and he tried crawling faster but got so excited that he became uncoordinated and ended up not going anywhere.

We are happy to report that we have suffered thru our first experience (because I am not na?ve enough to think it is the last) with separation anxiety.  I think it was only about a month but wow, when it is happening for every nap and bedtime?we thought it was never-ending.  Thanks for all the prayers! 

His transition continues to go well and he is such a happy, smiley, talkative (in Diego language of course) baby.  We are soaking up every moment.