i miss this face

baby is as cute as i thought she would be, also funnier and smarter. before you get all "of course you think she's smart, she's your niece," let me point out that she's already upright and cruising at 9 months old. she also does these funny little things that let you know she's paying attention. at our thanksgiving dinner (which we held a day early) she grabbed a napkin, put it up to her nose, and made a nose blowing sound. then she took it, wiped down the table, wiped off the couch, then her face. the whole time she was cracking up and talking to herself and us with her baby jabber, and when she did the nose-blowing routine she nearly fell down she laughed so hard. plus, she let me decorate her face with cereal every morning and chew on her cheeks whenever i wanted. that's all i really need in a baby!