The Wingler Family: 9 Months!

Madelyn turned 9 months old on 8/12/12. Our sweet little baby is growing up! Here's what she is up to now:

wearing 6-9 month clothing and size 2 shoes
wearing size 3 diapers
She is very good at pulling herself up to a standing position. She will stand for a long time as long as she has something to hold on to and something to entertain herself. Usually she just plops back down to a sitting position, but I've noticed that she is gradually gaining more control when sitting back down. Today, she stood up using her book crate, grabbed a book with both hands, and gingerly sat back down by herself.
Madelyn is on the move ALL.THE.TIME! She rarely sits still. Even when she is nursing, the littlest noise can distract her and make her head look around to see what it was. She hates having her diaper changed now; I assume this is because she wants to be on the move. When she is on the changing table, her little legs pump up and down as fast as they can go.
She loves to walk with help, and I think she would walk around the house all day if I let her. She hasn't started crusing on her own yet by holding onto furniture; it takes a lot of encouragement for her to do this. I'm sure it will happen soon enough, so I'm not pushing it.
She loves books! She can entertain herself for the longest time (in my world, that's about 5-10 minutes) by looking at her books on her own, but she also likes to be read to. She is very good at turning the pages herself. Her favorite books are interactive books--anything touch and feel, Pat the Bunny, or All the Ways I Love You recorded storybook.
Maddie loves music and being sung to. She likes just about anything, especially when you add a little dance to it.
Maddie is eating about every 2 1/2 - 3 hours, and is eating 3 solid meals a day, plus 2 snacks. She eats breakfast when she wakes up which consists of nursing, some type of pureed fruit, rice cereal or oatmeal, and some kind of finger food, usually Cheerios or some kind of fruit. Lunch is nursing, some type of pureed fruit or vegetable, rice cereal, and some kind of finger food, usually fruit, cheese, or a vegetable. Dinner is usually nursing, some kind of pureed vegetable or meat, rice cereal, and some kind of finger food. For a snack, she nurses and then eats a finger food. She is also offered a cup of milk at each meal; she doesn't usually drink much though. Bananas, grapes, and Cheerios are Maddie's favorite foods.
As a result of all the solid food she's eating now, her poops have changed to solids too!
Madelyn usually takes 2 naps, one in the morning and one in the afternoon. Her naps have been pretty inconsistent lately, ranging anywhere from 30 minutes to 1 1/2 hours.
Maddie's nighttime sleep habits are about the same as last month. She goes to bed around 7:30 p.m. and sleeps until about 6 or 6:30 a.m., getting up once or twice a night. Madelyn goes to sleep listening to ocean waves on her Sleep Sheep while we bop her or rock her. She has enjoyed having her back rubbed lately while drifting off to sleep. She usually nurses once, usually around 4 a.m.
Madelyn is teething right now, so everything has been different from normal. She is not sleeping as well, she leaves a line of drool where ever she goes, she's been cranky, and her nursing habits are slacking some. Hopefully that tooth will come in soon!
She is talking so much! She babbles all kinds of sounds and loves to squeal. She likes when we repeat the sounds back to her; she'll respond back to us with more talking. She can say, "Mama," "Dada," and "done." She understands so much more than she is able to verbalize. She knows her name and will turn and look at you when you say Maddie or Madelyn.
Maddie went on her first vacation to the beach. She wasn't sure about the ocean for the first few days, but ended up liking it a lot. She enjoyed playing in the sand too.
She is certainly more attached to her Mommy and Daddy. It usually takes her a little while to warm up to anyone different.
She is a very happy and smiley baby. She is usually in a good mood and it's usually pretty easy to get her to smile and laugh. Her facial expressions are constantly developing.
Maddie is ticklish on her neck, belly, and thighs.
Maddie gives kisses! It is the sweetest thing! I'll ask her to give me a kiss and she'll lean in, usually with an open mouth, to give a kiss. She has offered kisses without being asked, which I love! But I like lots of kisses, so I usually ask for them a few times a day! ;)
She loves being outside, whether it is going on a walk, going swimming, letting Hershey out, or getting the mail.
She goes to the doctor in a few weeks, so I'll post her 9 month stats then.