Month 9

Dear Ramon,

Happy happy nine months! The past month has been so full and busy and crazy I even forgot to re-post your eight month letter to the Multiply site until today! Well, that's rectified, and now I know it took forever for me to gather my wits and write you a nine month letter, but I had a bit of trouble scrounging around for photos of you. When I told your Dad, he said, he thought the new cameras were so that I could take more pictures of you, and I said, I have A LOT of pictures of you, Ramon. But most of them are with people. Because you are so happy smiley and cute, everyone likes holding you and I have pictures of you with just about everyone. It's the solo shots that were rare. So I did a bit of cropping, and here you are.



It was your first Christmas! And what a lot of fun and toys that was. You stayed up for all the parties. Tried valiantly to stay awake for Noche Buena. Failed. But that's ok, only Luis was awake for Noche Buena. But for the rest of the parties, you were being passed around and played with as if you were the Christmas present. You didn't like the clan photo sessions though. While you will happily oblige Mommy your cutest smiles for snapshots like these, you absolutely refuse to sit still and hold your smile for big group photos. Poor baby, in fact, in the Mantaring Clan boys photo, you had everyone else in the picture crying just like you. You are a very powerful little boy.



But I guess in the end it was worth it, what with all the toys and clothes and gifts you received. You weren't big enough to open your own gifts yet so your Ates helped you. And then you had a blast playing with whatever you were given, and even the toys that weren't for you. And of course, now that you're bigger, you can crawl after your sisters and your cousin for the toys that you want. You also push me away and crawl to your Daddy when he's playing with the iPad because apparently, it's more interesting than your baby toys. I guess it's never too early to be into gadgets.



Speaking of crawling, you are now super duper LIKOT! Perpetual motion boy! You even skipped the whole, shoving-your-face-into-the-floor while trying to go forward type crawling and just went straight to creeping with your arms pulling your forward like a soldier in the mud. And you're pretty fast too! Going after toys and remote controls, and slippers and garbage. Very intrepid. You're so malikot, it's hard to carry you for long periods of time. Although your yaya and the other helpers still do it, I tend to just put you on the floor and leave you to your devices. I think that's why you learned to climb up the little couch in our bedroom and pull yourself up to standing. Yup! You've started to climb and stand! So we've lowered your crib and now you are trapped in your playpen when we have to leave you for a few minutes. You don't mind. Much. Until you get bored and demand to be let out.


And you can be pretty demanding. In the past week, you've started blabbing. A lot. It's like you changed from silent baby to noisy baby overnight. You talk to yourself, you talk when Ate Lia is trying to make you laugh, you talk when Ate Desi is singing, you like to Dadadadada Mamamamamama Babababadadadamamama for the sheer joy of making noise with your voice. It's very very adorable! Soon you'll be as noisy as Kuya Luis. And then we'll all be in trouble.



You eat A LOT. You eat a huge helping of rice and vegetables every morning and evening and this hasn't lessened your appetite for milk. I can't keep up with your demand anymore, so you drink formula now, before bed and when I'm out. But I still nurse you when you wake up at night, and whenever I'm home. Perhaps this is why whenever you see me (while, for example you are with your Yaya or someone else), you either have this giant Yay It's Mommy smile or Take Me Mommy cry of despair. I love that I'm still your favorite even if I worry that I don't spend enough time with you. But I guess you have your own way of making sure I play with you everyday, by insisting on being with me. I guess this means you love me. My dearest Ramon, I love you too.



Oh Ramon, you bring so much joy to me and everyone around you. Just by smiling, or waving, or even just being around people. You make them smile, you make them happy. It's not only because you're a baby. Not all babies can spread joy the way you do. Or even that you're cute, because all babies are cute. I think there really is a quality about you that makes people happy when they're with you. This is a very precious gift. Which is why I've decided to rent you out to depressed people so we can raise funds for your education in the future. I'm just joking. But I am serious about how you make everyone happy. I feel very blessed to be your Mommy. And even more honored that I am able to make you happy.

I love you forever, my Ramo-mo!

Mommy