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Aliza is growing every day....it's clear in a thousand small ways. The new tricks she learns and loves to show off....the way her legs hang farther down her high chair....her hair that seems to grow by the minute...the way she is outgrowing the changing table on her pack n' play....

Then there are the moments when these small changes become shockingly real. This past weekend Aliza and I took a trip to Target. I started wandering around the baby clothes, looking for some 12 month outfits. I was puzzled at first because I kept finding newborn, three, six and nine months...but no twelve months. Until I realized that the twelve month clothes are not with the baby clothes. They are with the infant and toddler clothes. I needed to look through racks of 2T and 3T clothes to find 12 month clothes. And I had to look for outfits. Not neatly coordinated baby outfits, or one piece outfits. Nope, now I had to make my own outfits! I almost left without looking through the racks just because I felt a little sad at this discovery....

Recently, I had Aliza's toy basket near us while we sat on the floor and played. Well, she decided that the toys I had out weren't the ones she wanted, so she pulled herself up, with some assistance on my part, on the toy basket to peer inside at her options. I stood there, amazed that my baby was standing up.

And then I let go.

And she stood there, holding on, peering inside her toys, looking for the one she wanted. It was only for a few seconds but she stood. All by herself.

My little girl really is growing up.....and just to prove the point, we took her to the doctor today for her 9 month check up. Here are her stats:

Height: 28 1/4 inches (75%)
Weight: 19.2 lbs (70%)
Head: 45.7 inches (85%) *

* The pediatrician asked us if one of us had a big head.....Russ sheepishly raised his hand and she then pointed out that Aliza's head is, well, growing rather rapidly and rather big. It's all daddy's genes though, so the doctor isn't worried!