I prefer and carry a compact 9 (S&W M&P9c). It carries more rds and practice ammo is more affordable (more practice = better shot placement).
If you go w/a 9c then get the thumb safety. It's easily removed if you decide later on you don't want it but you can't retrofit a thumb safety onto an M&P that never had one. Plus, add the APEX DCAEK kit (or at least the sear & striker block), it makes an incredible difference in the trigger.
Grant at G&R is great to deal with, has good prices and can add any desired APEX parts before it ships to you:
http://www.gandrtactical.com/cgi-bin/commerce.cgi?preadd=action&key=206304
There's a lot of personal preference involved in holster selection, don't be surprised if you try several before finding one that's "right" for you.
I carry AIWB (inside the waistband, up front just right of the belt buckle) and my 2 current fav holsters are the "Mr.Softy":
http://highnoonholsters.com/Product_Line/_Mr_Softy/_mr_softy.html and a "Shaggy":
http://shop.customcarryconcepts.com/Shaggy-AIWB-SHG.htm;jsessionid=9EC12AEF8E28E0C5BD9FD97FCD31A4CE.qscstrfrnt04?categoryId=-1
The MrSofty is very comfortable, inexpensive and prints less than the Shaggy. However, the MrSofty is slower to draw with (pistol sits lower & closer to the waistband making the grip a little harder to get to whereas the Shaggy sits the pistol a bit higher so it's faster/easier to grasp the grip) and since it's soft leather it tends to flatten making reholstering slower (if that's important to you).
The Shaggy is custom-made so takes longer to get, costs more, prints a little more than the MrSofty but is faster to draw & reholster (since it's Kydex, it doesn't flatten when the pistol is drawn). My Shaggy has the optional leather "comfort shield" which I like (YMMV).
I carry a fullsize mag w/X-grip as my reload in a Galco leather pocket mag carrier.
HTH, keep us posted!...
Tomac
(From the top) Wife's 9c w/S&W Micro light & flat-bottomed mag (her preference), my nightstand 9c w/Micro light, fullsize mags w/X-grip adapters and my CCW 9c w/finger extension mag & the aforementioned fullsize reload in a Galco leather mag carrier (all the 9c's shown have Meprolight night sights & APEX tactical sears & striker blocks installed):