8 Months Old

Little Man, as each month ends, I can't believe how much you accomplished in the previous weeks, while at the same time I feel like you are on the cusp of so much more.  And the amazing thing is that I know I will feel like that again in another month. 

Likes:

• Peek-a-boo
• Picking toys and book out of your toy basket by yourself
• Looking at the bottom of your toys, flipping them over to check everything out and see how it all works
• Playing in the bath tub on your tummy
• Reading books - you have such a long attention span and will sit in our laps for a long time looking at books
• You love to do happy screams and be loud - after you scream you will break into a huge grin and look so proud
• Your pacifiers - these are your absolute favorite thing and are quickly becoming your comfort item and favorite toy.  I put 4 in your bed now so that you can easily find them when you are sleeping.  Usually when I come to get you after a nap or in the morning, you have one in your mouth and one in each hand.  The other day, you also managed to pick up a 3rd paci that was in the rocking chair.  Often, before you fall asleep for a nap, I see you circling your crib to collect all the pacifiers so that you can put them in a pile next to you while you sleep.  You will put one in for a while and then take it out to put a different one in until you fall asleep.
• Wrestling with Daddy - it makes you giggle so hard.

 Dislikes:

• Flushing toilets in public restrooms (This should have made the list months ago!  The sound terrifies you.)
• Having your face wiped
• Diaper changes - you cry as soon as we put you down on your back but are usually easily distracted with a toy
• Disruption to your routine*

* Every night when you wake up, Momma feeds you and then hands you off to Daddy for a diaper change.  You usually cry briefly when you realize you are being transferred to Daddy but then cooperate in letting him change your diaper and put you right back to bed.  You usually fall back to sleep within minutes.  However, one night you woke up earlier than normal and Daddy was still at work teaching his evening class.  I went in and fed you but decided to skip the diaper change since Daddy wasn't here.  When I put you back in bed, you cried and cried.  I tried rocking you again which you liked but when I put you back in your bed, you cried again.  This went on for a hour.  When Daddy came home, we decided we would follow our regular routine.  I went in and nurse/rocked you, although this time you kept turning your head to make sure Daddy was in the room.  When I handed you to Daddy, you cried for a minute like always.  He changed your diaper, put you in your bed, and you went right to sleep!

Milestones:

• First trip to Florida to see Grandma and Grandpa Pegelow (you have now been on 5 different trips where we flew for a total of 15 different planes)
• You and Momma flew just the two of you when Daddy had to take different flights home from Florida.
• You put your feet in the Atlantic Ocean and in the sand for the first time.
• You started eating two meals of solids a day - you now eat pears (you like them now!), apples (these stop you up so you haven't had them in a while), peaches, prunes, peas, green beans, sweet potato, carrots and acorn squash, and you like them all!
• Grandma Pegelow and Grandma and Grandpa Angell came to visit us for Daddy's recital
• Momma and Daddy left you with Grandma Pegelow during Daddy's recital - Momma put you to bed and you slept like a champ, so you didn't even realize we were gone.
• We visited the nursery at church but Momma stayed there with you.
• You learned to wave!
• You learned to throw/toss things.
• You know when someone is being silly - you first responded to funny noises and then added in funny faces last month.  Now you laugh if you know someone is acting silly. 
• You can play games - like tossing your toys or bath challenges
• You help turn the pages to your books, but not consistently.
• You easily roll from your tummy to your back now
• You go from sitting to your tummy
• You sleep with your legs tucked under you and your bum up in the air
• You are a really good sitter, and can twist a little now without losing your balance
• You got your first tooth!  We are so thankful that so far teething has not been an issue for you.
• Your tummy and feet are ticklish
• You and daddy do bath challenges - Daddy places your toys on different ledges around the tub and you have to reach as high as you can to knock them into the water.  Momma hears lots of cheering coming from the bathroom these days.
• You sat in a high chair at a restaurant for the first time - you love eating out right now and are so easy to take out.
• You rode in a shopping cart for the first time at Target.
• You love to peer around things - this month you became interested in things that were out of your line of vision.  For instance, you have to lean forward b/c you need to see what's going on around your car seat or high chair or if I haven't turned the page to your book fast enough, you peer around it to see the next page.  You are just so interested.
• You met your friend, Sadie, who is just 13 days older than you. 
• We think you are probably right-handed because you hold objects in your left hand and manipulate them with your right hand.
• We finally got a rocking chair for your nursery, and we both love it!  Momma has started rocking you to sleep at night a little more often than we used to b/c we are both just so comfy.

Reading with Grandma Angell

While you are still a Momma's Boy and have quite a bit of separation anxiety, you are becoming your own person and showing us more of your personality.  You still remain serious, intense and quiet when you are in a new environment, but you show so much personality once you become comfortable.  We have seen a definite increase in your will this month as you are making your thoughts known now, and we think you're becoming a pretty spunky little guy.  I'm impressed by how joyful you are, and how you seem to feel joy so deeply as it explodes out of you in big expressions and enthusiastic squeals. 

Hamming it up for your grandparents

Towards the very end of the month, your verbal communication increased significantly, which conveniently coincided with your increase in will. You are becoming more certain about what you do or don't like.  When I read you a book, you make a quick, happy "mmm" noise when you see a new page.  When you can't do something you are trying so hard to do, you let out a frustrated fussy noise until I help you.  For example, you have a toy with a hinge door that you can shut but not open yet, and you get so frustrated when you can't get it (although you don't give up easily).  When you are mad, like when I gave you green beans the other night when you wanted peaches, angry tears come quickly and are accompanied by a loud cry and sometimes an arched back.  You also grunt if you want Momma or Daddy's attention.  One of the funniest things was when you growl-yelled at one of Daddy's coworkers when she gently tried to talk to you until you scared her away.  When she popped her head back out of Daddy's office, you did it again, confirming it was very intentional.  I didn't really know what to say to her, since it was so obvious you didn't want her there, so I just said, "We think he's going to be a pretty opinionated little guy!"  On the flip side, you squeal with happiness when you see us in the morning or when daddy comes home from work.  You also squeal if you think something is funny or surprising or with anticipation if you are playing a game with, us such as peek-a-boo.  You make happy noises a lot more frequently than upset ones. 



Your special treat - a peach pouch

Not only are you joyful, but you have the best sense of humor.  Grandma Pegelow said you have a good tickle-box because you smile and laugh so easily.  You really seem to get the humor in situations.  You know if someone is being silly now, and it makes you laugh.  You also are finding joy in BEING the funny one and will repeat something if you realize it makes Momma laugh.  You learned this month that if you blow raspberries into a spoon full of food, it sprays the food all over, or even better, you can just spit the food out of your mouth.  I have to admit that I think it's really funny too, but then we realized you only do it to me b/c I laugh (Daddy doesn't think it's funny).  When Grandma Pegelow was feeding you, we realized that you were waiting for me to look at you and as soon as I did, you would spray your food.  As much as I loved that you wanted to make me laugh, I had to start keeping a straight face when you did it so that you actually eat your food.

You keep on impressing me with how interactive you are.  You learned how to wave this month.  You and I had been practicing this in the mirror after naps, but when Grandma Angell was here, you waved to someone else for the first time when you waved to her before you went down for a nap.  I've since caught you waving at yourself in a mirror totally unprompted. 

You catch on to things so quickly.  Grandma Pegelow put some balls in a cardboard box and showed you how you could tip the box towards you to make them roll to you.  After seeing how she did it just once or twice, you immediately took over tipping the box to manipulate the balls inside. 

Your schedule at the end of the month was as follows:

• 7:30-8:30am wake up
• nurse, get dressed, 30 min after nursing eat solids, play
• 2.5 hours after morning wake-up, take 90 min morning nap
• wake up and nurse, play, drink juice "cocktail"
• 3 hours after wake-up from morning nap, take 60 min afternoon nap
• nurse either right before or right after this nap
• eat solids for dinner
• play
• 30 min before bed take bath and get in jammies
• nurse rock with Momma
• 2.5-3 hours after wake-up from afternoon nap, bedtime (usually between 6-7pm)
• nurse between 9:30-10:30pm

We became more flexible with your wake up time this month, since sleep has gotten so much better for you.  The only requirement is that you make it until at least 7am, which is rarely an issue.  You are still sleeping so well at night.  For the first half of the month you would wake up between 9:30pm-10:30pm and then between 2am-3am.  However, as the month went on you dropped the second feeding.  We are so proud of you, and very grateful.

Little Man, you were a precious, sweet newborn, but I sure do love the little baby-boy you are becoming.  I can see the wheels turning and your bright eyes taking everything in.  (I don't think you'll be able to get away with much with those expressive eyes of yours).  I love that you are an explorer, always trying to figure something out or how it works.  I love that you are so relational now - you are oh so loving and very communicative.  It's like we get to really enjoy each other's company now and brighten one another's day during this cold winter.  And I say this all the time, but I just love your joy and how your natural response to situations is often laughter.  You are a serious little guy who is quick to laugh.  I think that's a pretty good combination, Little Treasure.