8 Months

Dear Munchkin,

Well, kid, you're officially growing out of that nickname, to be sure. In fact, you're closer to being a boy than a baby, and it's great fun to witness that incredible transformation.

- You are a great sitter, now. You can reach all the way forward to retrieve toys, and only occasionally lose your center and fall with a kerplunk onto the floor (ouch).

- It's fun to watch you actually play with your toys now, rather than just try to eat them or stare at them. Of course, you still don't play with most of them in the way it's intended (ie: tossing around the block box, rather than the blocks), but who cares?

- You have discovered my toes (and my hair, necklace, and watch). And boy, when you get focused on something--look out!

- A (sad) mark of your "big boyness" is that you rarely permit me to rock you, baby style. You will only sit in my lap, and protest being on your back in my arms.

- You are such a joy to watch in music class. You are intently focused on Miss Mary THE. ENTIRE. TIME. You watch her every move and giggle when she comes close to you.

- You eat green vegetables (for now).

- You are amusingly adverse to certain textures right now, including Oliver's "babies." He does try to bring them to you so you'll throw them, and the look on your face plainly says, "Please don't make me touch that thing." Welcome to a lifetime of THAT!

- You have a strange fear of the sound of running or falling water right now--except in the bathtub; go figure. You panicked at the sound of the surprise ocean wave when we were at the zoo, and a few minutes later weren't impressed with the waterfall noises in the gorilla exhibit either. The river exhibit at the Nature Museum wasn't a hit, nor was the fountain at the restaurant on Sunday afternoon. Hmmm....

- You have taken to sucking your big toe like a pacifier, but only on the changing table. (My theory is that you can only get your feet to your mouth when you're not wearing pants.)

- You are slowly (slooooowwwwlllllyyyyy) becoming more independent during play time. Today I was able to cook in the kitchen for 15 whole minutes while you Jumperoo-ed. This is progress from last month!

- And lastly, you are down to one or two nursing sessions per day. It's bottles all the way, baby! Now, how to keep them from coming back up....


I love you, not-so-little peanut!
Mom