8 months old

EIGHT MONTHS OLD!!!!  Wow.  I say it every month, but I cannot believe it!  Please slow down time, just a little bit.

What are you up to?

• You, obviously, had a recent haircut (your fourth).  We are not crazy about the haircut and didn’t think it would be quite so short.  Ah well, guess it will be a while until number 5.
• You are moving everywhere!  You have not mastered crawling forward yet, we think it is going to happen ANY SECOND.  You can get up on all fours and rock forward, like you are ready to take off and then, you fall on your tummy.  You are a master backwards scooter.  I am constantly rescuing you from underneath tables and dressers.  You are also really good at scooting on your bottom.  I think this next month you are going to take off and prove that we are not prepared at all for your mobility.
• You have two teeth (on the bottom) and I am pretty sure you are working on another one.  You are soaking wet all the time because of drool and have been a little fussy lately.  The only other time in your life you were really fussy was when you got the other teeth.  Sadly, when you got two teeth, you also got two ear infections.  I really, really, really hope that this is not the case this time.

• You have a definite preference for your mommy!  Tonight, I got home from teaching and walked through the door and said, “Hi!”  Daddy had you upstairs, getting your pajamas on and you immediately started talking and calling out.  He said you were so excited the entire way downstairs to find me.
• You continue to be extremely adaptable.  I am amazed at how good natured you are if you miss a nap or don’t eat when it is time.  You don’t mind taking one of your naps in the car and thank goodness for that because you get at least one nap a day while in route to get your sisters.
• If I am making dinner or folding laundry, you are content to sit on the floor and play with your toys, as long as I am nearby.
• You love your sisters and light up when you see them.  You tolerate them pretty good when they over love you.  Oh, Rives, they do love you so much!  They want nothing more than to see you laugh and for you to smile at them.  They NEVER complain if I ask them to sit with your or help you out in some way.  They love you!
• You constantly make me think that it would be easy to have a fourth baby.  However, we will NOT be having a fourth baby (unless God has a greater sense of humor than I think).  Because you will be a toddler one day.  A moving, active toddler.  I am so thankful that God gave us you for our final child…our boy.

• You are not the best eater in the family (your daddy still holds that title).  Actually, you are the worst.  Sorry buddy.  You’re a great nurser, and I’m pretty sure you will never want to give that up, but not a big fan of real food.  I “slave” over your food, making it for you with my own hands (geez, already with the “mom guilt”).  You like to spit the food at me…not funny mister.  I will continue to make you GOURMET baby food and cross my fingers that your palate improves.
• You weigh (total guess here) about 18 pounds.  You wear 6-9 month clothes and a size 3 diaper.  Even though you are much bigger at 8 months than your sisters were, you are still in the lowish percentile for boys.  Everyone thinks you look like your daddy so you will probably get his crazy metabolism too.  Lucky duck.
• The past two times I have been gone at your bedtime, you won’t take a bottle.  Uh oh.  Looks like I better not get too far away from you for the next few months.  Good thing you’re cute.
• You babble a lot.  Your favorite thing to repeat is “dadadadadadadada”.  Eh, maybe referring to your daddy.  Maybe.  I think I heard you say “ma” yesterday.  If you want to call me “Ma”…well, that won’t work.  So, let’s start saying “mamamamamamamama”.

Can you believe you are almost one?  ME EITHER!!!!!  Let’s enjoy this month, ok!  I love you buddy!