Eight Months

This jacket is my favorite thing ever

Apparently eight months is when your opinions decided to kick in, little miss! You have opinions on eating (always food), opinions on being left alone (never), opinions on who can hold you (just Mom & Dad when you're tired), and opinions on what you need to be putting in your mouth at that moment (usually something you'll choke on). But overall you're still a pretty relaxed baby girl. At church today I handed you off to a friend that you'd never met for two hours, and was a bit afraid of how you'd do. When she returned you, she was gushing about how you were the perfect baby!

Here's what else you're up to at eight months old:

*You're a professional sitter! I always have to strap you in, but you do a great job sitting up in the cart while we go grocery shopping. I am so happy to not have to haul your giant car seat around anymore!

*You'll occasionally get up on hands and knees, but no real rocking yet. No army crawling, either. Rolling is still your method of transport, but you use it quite effectively.

*You're down to just two feedings at night, which is still kind of ridiculous, but better than every 2 hours! Usually between 11:00-12:00, and again between 3:00-5:00. You're almost always up for the day between 7-7:30.

*You LOVE swinging. When we're done swinging out back and I start unbuckling you, you yell at me.

*Two teeth on the bottom, one on the top. I didn't even notice the top one coming through!

*You're a two nap girl now. You're not super consistent with times or lengths, but you give me at least one good nap a day.

*First taste of dirt (ice cream) from Broom's Bloom. You were, of course, a fan:

*You can put your pacifier back in your mouth. This is possibly the explanation for the longer sleep at night.

*You love, love, love your siblings and will break out in shrieks and wiggles when you see them, especially in the morning.  Aaron especially can make you laugh (when he's not making you cry).

Seth & Catherine made you a ball pit

*Your favorite trick right now is to grab your siblings' hair whenever you get the chance. You're very fast. Aaron is not a fan.

*You're fitting perfectly in 9 month clothing. Possibly a little too tight on the onesies.

*You love to eat paper. Sometimes munching on a receipt is the only thing that keeps you happy during shopping trips.

*You're working on the pincer grasp. I am counting down the days until you can feed yourself snacks while I cook! But you have graduated to the high chair, which is AWESOME.

*You're our first baby to prefer a normal sippy cup over a straw sippy cup. We removed the valve for the first couple of weeks so it would be easier to suck. But sometimes you would let go too fast and end up getting water all over your face:

*You and Aaron take baths together now. We have three little plastic cars in our bath toys. Aaron loves these cars and spends most of his time in the bath trying to keep them away from you. You also love them and spend your time trying to take them away and yelling at him if he touches your cars.

*I keep forgetting to write this down: Our good friends the Knoxes have a little boy named Paul who is three. Ever since you were born he's called you "My-lise." So adorable.

Oh, we love you so, baby girl. Thank you for being the sweetest little thing!