Here are Dawson's updates: (I'm a bit behind...)

Your baby may be the most sociable young creature around – until somebody unfamiliar comes near. Many babies this age have begun to show signs of fear or shyness around strangers. Some even start withdrawing from familiar relatives and friends, and want to be close to no one but you. This phase can be so brief you barely notice it, or it may last for months, depending on your child's temperament.

A baby who has discovered cruising will "walk" around a room while supporting hiself with furniture and other surfaces. To encourage walking, hold your baby's hands when he's standing facing you and see whether he can step toward you. Some 9-month-olds are ready to practice walking with a stable push toy.

You're probably noticing that your blossoming baby is learning different ways to express himself emotionally. He's also becoming more social day by day. In the coming weeks and months you may see new tricks like clapping; waving bye-bye; pointing to indicate what he wants or when he sees something new and interesting; shrieking loudly to attract your attention; laughing at silly sounds and expressions; and crying in a specific tone to convey a particular "request."

Your baby is probably beginning to cover more territory, whether by scooting and crawling or by cruising upright, or maybe even by trying a few tentative first steps. When you're indoors, you may want to let your baby go without shoes, booties, or socks -- experts believe going barefoot helps a baby's foot develop properly and promotes better balance and coordination.

Okay......Now that all of that has been posted. :-)

Dawson prefers to pull up and track the room with anything he can use to help him stand up and scoot along. He has given up on his Cars walker due to the fact that it impedes his process of investigating. There are some interesting things going on in the Sepulvado household. The pantry seems to be the root of many investigations. Dawson conducts inventory and random search investigations on his shelf in the pantry. I'm not sure if he thinks someone is getting a 5 finger discount, but it seems like he's leaning towards foul play. I haven't properly been debriefed on the matter, so I am not able to confirm or deny the current situation. Also, apparently it's on a need to know basis, and we all know how that goes!

Dawson has also taken up Neighborhood watch! He is an active member, and patrols the perimeter of our home daily. He does a quick overview in the morning to ensure everything is secure and nothing is amiss. In the evenings, at random times he takes position from a camoflaged location (our screened in porch), and checks the perimeter. Upon clarification that all is secure, he ventures out to conduct further investigation of the grounds. He is also in the process of training our dog, Beau. Apparently Beau isn't up to snuff with Dawson's guidelines. Dawson is actively helping Beau learn obedience training and control.

Dawson is a boy of few words, but an array of emotions. Our conversations are still pretty one sided, but he is responding to hand signals! He understands the sign for milk, and gets excited when I use it. Dawson has taken his first steps, and rightly so. With all of his new duties and investigations he needs to be mobile!

Dawson is also our own personal welcoming committee. He smiles and grins at everyone he meets. In the store the other day I thought he said, "Have a nice day." That's what it sounded like, but of course he wouldn't repeat it.

Since Dawson's mre frequent use of words, David has been in the limelight an awful lot! Not in a good way, mind you. Dawson tells me all kinds of things!

Me: "Dawson, where's your binkie?"

Dawson: "Da-Da! Da-Da!"

Me: "Da-Da took your binkie?"

Dawson: "Da-Da!"

LOL David is loving it! Dawson has learned when David does something he doesn't like, I find out about it, and vice versa. David and I have to form a team front much sooner than we expected. Dawson is one bright little boy! At his last check-up his pediatrician commented on how advanced his motor movement skills were. I already knew this. You try taking him away from something he's not supposed to play with. He remembers what he was doing, and goes right back to it! The art of distraction is becoming harder and harder to successfully complete!

We are in the midst of planning Dawson's 1st birthday party. It will be a Sesame Street party. I'm getting excited about it, but I have so many ideas! I need to get them more pinned down and start putting things together. With school, work, and a mobile security guard, time is precious!

I hope that all of you have a wonderful day.

God Bless,

Lori