Hello 8 Months

Dear Addilyn, 

I know I say this every month but this month I really mean it! You have grown and changed so much and I can't believe how fast time is going.  I love the new things you are doing, but I miss those snuggly newborn days and want time to slow down a little.   Your personality is really coming out this month.  You are silly, active and love being around others.  You are constantly wanting to move and play and interact with whoever is around.  

You rarely cry and are happy most of the time, as long as you are being entertained and played with. You'll be content in your highchair or exersaucer for short periods of time, but usually like to be played with on the floor or on the couch.  You love being tossed in the air, playing peek-a-boo and running around the house.  You laugh a lot more these days and your sweet little giggles are so cute.  You don't make your manly grunting sounds as often, which surprisingly I miss.  You've started making "la la la" and "ba ba ba" sounds.  And have discovered that you can scream, yell and make all kinds of noises!

This month you ate puffs for the first time and you love them! Whenever I take out the bottle and shake it you start flailing your hands and laughing.  No matter how many I put on your try, you try to grab them altogether and put them all in your mouth.  They've worked well for bribing you to sit still for pictures too!

 Besides loving puffs you like just about any food we've given you.  Sweet potatoes, peas, carrots, apples, pears, peaches, and bananas to name a few.  Your favorite food is probably yogurt.  I'm pretty sure you could eat tons of it if I let you!

You love being in the water.  You love the pool at the Y and love taking baths at home.  You've started splashing more and kicking your feet.  It's taken you awhile but you can finally sit up for an extended period of time on your own.  You aren't crawling yet, but can get up on your hands and knees and rock back and forth.  You can scoot backwards and turn in circles, you just can't move forward yet!

 Minus this last week, you've been doing such a great job sleeping.  You go to bed between 7 and 8 and wake up between 4 and 5 to eat and then sleep until about 6:30.  This last week you've been crying when we put you to bed and waking up earlier in the night.  I think you are dealing with a little separation anxiety and hopefully will be back on track soon!  You still take three naps a day and the length of the first two are a little unpredictable and the last one is just about always 30 minutes.

Our days look pretty much the same as last month.  We're always home in the morning until after your first nap.  We both stay in our pajamas, make coffee, eat breakfast, unload the dishwasher and hang out in the living room.  After your morning nap we try to get out of the house.  We often go visit my friends at school during their lunch time and recently started going to the Y twice a week.  You've done pretty good in the childcare there, except for once.  I hope we can keep going as it's good for me to workout and good for you to be around other kids and adults without me.  We go to music class or have playdates with friends, and we see your grandparents often during the week too which is great for both of us!  I am so excited for warmer weather so we can go on walks and play outside.

I love your big eyes, long eyelashes, scrunched up nose, big cheeks and perfect smile.  You make my heart happy every day and I am so lucky to be your mom.  This month has been so fun to watch your little (or big) personality come out.  There are some moments where I get a little nervous about mothering your active, wild self in the future.  But I'm so thankful that God gave us a spunky, funny, full of life baby girl and I can't wait to watch you grow into a little girl (although not too fast!).  I hope some day you know how much your daddy and I love you!

Love, 

your mom