Love word

Valerie
So I told my bf early on that I fell in love with him. He hasn't told me that he loves me. I wonder alot how he feels in that area. It's been 9 months. Is that too early for the love word ? I'm worried if we hit a year together and he still hasn't said it and if I still haven't met his kids, where are we headed? He says he's serious about me but I jus still wonder if this man loves me or not? Ugh