Finn has officially been growing on the outside as long as he grew on the inside. (Well, if you want to get really technical, he has another two weeks since he was born at 42 weeks gestation, but I’m just going with generalities a bit). This feels like the tipping point, for some reason. It’s amazing to think about the amount of growth that has happened over the past 18 months. Mind boggling, really. 18 months ago he was simply cells, and now…. wow! Life is miraculous, there’s no doubt. With month nine, I’m now working on the final row of his Milestone Quilt. Only three more blocks until it will be finished and ready to assemble. That means only three more months until my little baby will be a year old.
When I was thinking about what monthly milestones he’s been working on and meeting, and therefore which ones I wanted to document here, I immediately thought of his experiments with standing. He is getting steadier on his feet and will sometimes *briefly* let go of whatever it is he’s holding and stand on his own. Up until the photo shoot yesterday, though, these standing bouts lasted only a second or two.
You can imagine my surprise when Finn stood on his own for a few minutes, albeit propped against the wall! There’s my 9-month old boy!
As you can see, he’s still putting just about everything in his mouth, chomping at the bit as his teeth work their way in. He still has only those bottom two, but his top teeth look like they are getting close to breaking through. The drool faucet is often turned on.
I’m really loving seeing his quilt come to life. It does take some restraint to make such a simple quilt in such a long, drawn out time, but I think it is so worth it. I’m seeing my quilt-making mature as I watch my son grow, and I’m keeping the project completely manageable. This month I’m proud to say I made his block a few days in advance, and did the photoshoot yesterday. I won’t try to count how many months saw a last-minute day-of rushed shoot and late night sewing sessions. This month, I’m winning.
One of Finn’s new favorite positions is on his knees. He “stands on his knees” as Maddie likes to say, and bops up and down, chewing on a toy, or dancing along to music or just about any repetitive sound. He LOVES to dance. He still loves to smile, too.
With his increasingly steady stance, he is exploring the world with earnest. Those little hands reach and grab, trying to figure out every little thing. I’ve had to reevaluate the “safe zone” height in our house, since there have been a few large items pulled to the ground due to his exploring reach. No worries–all furniture and large items are securely fastened to the wall. Fortunately, Max made that a necessity so we are well prepared for our next active boy.
Finn still loves watching the chickens, and has begun to “talk” to them, as well as to the phone when it rings. He’s working on waving “hello” and loves to interact with others, especially his siblings.
As a year draws near, I’ve begun to think about how I want to preserve these milestone posts. While his baby book has been sorely neglected, I do have these updates each month and I’d like them to be in a preserved form. I’m thinking I will turn at least the highlights of each post (the photos and milestone accomplishments) into a book via Shutterfly. That way, Finn will have his quilt and his First Year book to look back on. I love this project more every month!
For those of you new to this project, you can see the full quilt layout plan, HERE in the 3 month post. You can see the full progression of Finn and his quilt’s growth so far HERE or by clicking the “Milestone Quilt” tab at the top of my blog. Thank you for joining me on this journey!
Night Quilter 
With grown children, it has been so much fun watching the progress of young Finn. My husband who has no interest in the quilting blogs that I follow has asked me if there have been any updates. Thanks for sharing. He is adorable.
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Creating a book out of your quilt posts is a fantastic idea. Much more exciting and unique than a baby book anyway! 😉 I’m sure Finn will treasure it.
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You are winning EVERY SINGLE MONTH! You have such a precious family and as much as I know you love quilting, your delight in your family outshines that desire to quilt. It is a pleasure to read your entries and a pleasure to see how you manage your life. I raised four daughters and know how family trials and duties can often take over. I love that you make time to quilt in the midst of it all. Keep on keepin’ on.
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Finn is a real cutie. I bet he’s racing to keep up with his siblings and has no idea his mama wants him to stay a baby just a little bit longer.
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Genius idea about the Shutterfly book, Kitty! I never did a baby book for any of mine, but I did at least record firsts on a list… until the third kid ; ) And I love seeing Finn’s quilt come along in measured steps – it really was a great solution to having a big project not get overwhelming!
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I really enjoyed reading your post and seeing all the photos of your sweet boy. Takes me back! The idea of making a milestone quilt for his first year is brilliant. And those blocks make such a beautiful backdrop for the photo shoot!
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This was a great idea–quilt grows/baby grows. I’ve enjoyed watching them both.
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It looks like a really fun photo shoot with Fin and the quilt blocks this month. He seems to really be enjoy interacting with you and friends behind the camera. This has been a beautiful way to watch Finn, and his quilt, grow.
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Making a book to document a quilt, especially a milestone quilt is a great idea.
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What a cutie pie! I think this age is one of my favorites of babyhood. They are so much more aware, and there’s more interaction between baby and other people. Peekaboo is so much fun then because they have started to “get it”.
I love the idea of the quilt going along with his milestones. He’ll get such a kick out of looking back on his growth when he gets older.
I’m so glad I found your blog. It’s a joy to follow.
xo Linda
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Linda, yes! It’s so funny that you mention peek a boo! This morning he initiated a game and I realized I forgot to include that in my documentation. He is so much more aware of games, people, and understands the communication process so much more. Every age seems to be my favorite these day 🙂 Thank you so much for following along!
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Kitty, I really enjoy your posts and the quilt is coming along beautifully. that was a good idea to do that as a monthly block. You little guy, Finn, looks very happy and healthy. best wishes to you all for a lovely spring. I just returned from QuiltCon 2/23 and left for NYC 2/28. by the time I returned home Thur. 3/4, the spring trees had burst into bloom in whites and pink blossoms in Albuquerque. so beautiful!
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He’s grown so much! It’s been wonderful getting these monthly updates, not just on the quilt, but Baby Finn as well! It’s hard to believe he’s already 9 months old, I remember when you were wondering if he was ever going to come out! Lol. I love the idea of the Shutterfly book!
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I have so enjoyed these posts. I think he is looking a little bit like mama now. The book is a great idea. With my third child, it was so hard to keep up with everything and his baby book is basically blank. :-(. Poor guy. This has been a great way for you to record his development and that of his quilt.
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There’s a company called Blog2Print that will make books out of your blog posts… I’ve been thinking about it for a while. I do love these monthly posts and they would make for an amazing baby book!
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Your blocks are progressing wonderfully. And what a cutie…with a great smile. I love the photos of Finn. He has grown so much in these few months.
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I love the drooly, putting everything in the mouth, trying to stand, and exploring the world stage! My little one just turned 6, but still remember that time fondly. Great pictures.
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What a cutie! I remember these days well with my two littles, all grown up now. Great idea to turn your photos into his first year book. The quilt will be gorgeous and well loved. He looks like such a happy contented boy. Enjoy!!!!
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