9 months

The baby Joel turned 9 months old last week.  I've been slacking on taking pictures lately.  Well, I did take some pictures today, but they're naked baby pictures.  I don't want to embarrass him, so I won't be sharing those on here.  But I must say, he has the cutest little baby duff!!

Joel's newest skills are standing up solo and taking tiny baby steps.  They are little practice steps, not really walking steps.  He's working on his balance.  He usually takes 3 or less, but he's made it all the way up to 8!

Still no teeth.  But they're on their way!  You can see the little bumps on his gums and the constant chewing.

The brothers still get along pretty well.  Levi's patient with Joel.  Joel steals more toys from Levi than Levi steals from Joel.

Sleep is our biggest issue this past month.  Joel caught a nasty cold the middle of October (and shared it with the rest of us).  He was miserable at night, so I let him sleep with me so that we'd both get a half-ways decent night of sleep.  Now, over a month later, he won't sleep in his crib longer than an hour.  While I love waking up to his cuddling, smiling, and all-around-cuteness.  While I love not having to constantly get out of bed when he wakes up at night.  I don't love that he's still in bed with me!  I can't relax at the end of the day, because I'm still stuck holding him.  I can't lay my favorite way, because he's in the way.  I can't get up before him, because he can't be left alone in the bed and wakes up if I go to move him to his crib.  I don't know how to tame this cosleeping monster.  I can't let him cry and cry in his crib - it keeps Levi up too.  I want my sleep back!  Oh, the things we give up for our kids.  Any sage advice?  It's stressing me out!  Maybe I should get a baby sleep book from the library.