Ben, you’re 9 months old! It’s hard to believe that you were growing in my tummy for the same length of time you’ve been with us on the outside world - it seems crazy to imagine a time when you weren’t part of our lives now.

9 months has been a real turning point for you Ben. After confirming your Cows Milk Protein Allergy last month, you’ve become almost a different baby this month - back to the laid back and chilled little baby we brought home from the hospital all those months ago. You really are such a little smiler, and you’re so easy to keep amused. I just need to pop you down with a toy in front of you and you’re happy to bash it about.

 

 

Routine

I’m not quite sure when it happened, but we’ve fallen into a definite routine these days. It’s funny how even though I didn’t set out to enforce a routine, you’ve found yourself falling into one anyway.

6am: You tend to wake at 6 and I feed you, and then Daddy takes you downstairs with Max to have breakfast,

8 - 9am: Morning nap time.

10am: Feed

11 - 12: Lunchtime

12-2pm: lunchtime nap

2.30pm: Although I’m still breastfeeding, I’ve introduced one bottle a day which you have mid-afternoon. Obviously you can’t have normal formula, so you have Neocate on prescription.

4 - 5pm: Dinner time

6.30-7pm: Bedtime

I’d love to say that we have a similarly good routine for the nighttime, but you are still waking regularly at all hours of the night!

 

 

Play and Communication

You’ve become so much more playful this last month. You’ve always been a big fan of toys, but lately you really wants to play with us all, whether that’s giving high fives, rolling a ball, or just giggling while we tickle you, you can’t get enough of being played with. Your favourite game is to be carried around the house, as the two of us run around chasing Max - the giggles are immense!

You’re such a little communicator, and I always know exactly what you want. You make your feelings known by banging your fists on your high chair when you want more food, or by the many different inflections of the word ‘ba’. You’ve also nailed waving hello and goodbye!

 

Food

Food is one of your favourite things! I’m amazed to watch you devour a whole courgette, or wolf down whole trees of broccoli. You’ve discovered a big love of spaghetti bolognese, and it’s so lovely to be able to sit up at the table as a family and all eat together.

 

Milestones

You’re making slow progress on the movement - still no signs of crawling, but you can get yourself across the room by shuffling on your bottom no problem. You just love to be sat up, so although I try to pop you down on your front sometimes, you’re really not a fan.

At the end of this month we finally got something we’ve been waiting for a long time - your first tooth! The bottom right tooth popped through just the other day and boy did you let us know about it for the next couple of days. The Calpol and the Anbesol have been out in force, and you’re never without your fist in your mouth at the moment.

The separation anxiety is off the scale at the moment. I only need to step a few metres away from you and you start crying, let alone try leaving the room. It’s a difficult phase, but I’m not overly bothered by it - I know from going through it with your brother that it’s a normal phase and it will ease off as you get older.

 

Happy 9 months Ben!