Violet is spending the day with me today while her sister goes to school and her parents go to work. I am Violet's auntie Mich, and I love playing with her and watching her grow. Violet is nine months old and has made many discoveries since I last saw her. Because children develop at their own pace, it is not easy to pinpoint when Violet learns all her skills. Her parents use a milestone checklist to ensure she is meeting them all. Violet's parents are proactive and stay on top of her development, so if need be, they can get early intervention. 

When I went upstairs to see Violet, she was in her crib, making sounds. “Mama” and “Baba.” She was having a conversation with herself. When she was around six months old, her sister told me about the sounds Violet was making. She was putting together vowel sounds with some consonants.  

When Violet saw me peeking into her room, she started squealing. She was happy to see her aunt Mich. Violet started making loud squeaky noises around six months, her mom reported to me. She enjoyed hearing her voice. 

I walked over to the crib, and she lifted her arms for me to pick her up, which she had just started doing at nine months. I picked her up and gave her a big hug and kiss. Violet turned to her crib and reached for her dog stuffed animal. I lowered her head into the crib so that she could grab her dog. I was happy that Violet typically developed by reaching for things she wanted and communicating about her needs when she was around six months old.   

I walked downstairs holding Violet and laid her on her tummy on the floor while I got her breakfast ready. When I was almost ready, I said, “Violet, I’m going to put you in your highchair for breakfast in two minutes.” She turned her head toward me and smiled. Violet was not on her tummy anymore; she was now sitting. She has been turning her head at the sound of a known voice for five months, but today, just after turning nine months, was the first time she brought herself to a sitting position. Her parents are going to be thrilled with this news.

Also, at two months, she watched her sister move while she was on a swing at the park.