eighth month

My goodness this was a busy month, Buns!  Yesterday especially.  We took so many pictures and had so many wardrobe changes.  But more on that later.

You have gotten so big!  I think you're around 20 pounds now.  Still a good 10 pounds lighter than your sister (which makes a world of difference) but you're so squirmy that you're hard to hold sometimes.  You still love being held, though.  You're in 9-month clothes.  We had to buy some the other day since Mama was still trying to squeeze you into some 3-6 month stuff.

You've gotten better at eating solids and have 3 meals a day.  You've tried yogurt now and had meat once (chicken).  We've tried to give you finger foods (peas, puffs, bread) a few times and it's hit-n-miss.  You have managed to squeak out 2 teeth, though!  I swear, they've looked ready to pop through for months now.  You're still on the bottle.  Mama wants to try to get you started on a sippy cup.  Still a lover of the paci.

I guess the biggest excitement this month developmental-wise is that we bit the bullet and pushed through with sleep training.  We moved you into your room (finally!) and you sleep through the night maybe 1/3 to half the time.  Sometimes you just need your paci in the middle of the night and it's a pretty quick endeavor.  Sometimes you're hungry but that's happening less and less.  You do wake up too early for my taste, however.  Somewhere between 5:00 and 6:00 most mornings.  You have a bottle, though, and are often back to sleep until about 7 or 7:30.  If only we could push that feeding out till then.  And if we're talking dream world, I'd also like it if you went to bed a little earlier than 9.  But that's just me.

You sit like a champ.  Still don't like tummy time so you quickly roll yourself over to your back.  You've learned to go from sitting to lying on your stomach but not the other way around.  You scoot some while lying on your back sometimes. One of our neighbors said her daughter crawled for about a day and then walked.  Perhaps that will be you.  You do like standing (assisted).  While you're taking your time with this movement thing, that doesn't mean you're still.  So many pictures have blurry parts these days.

You chatter but still nothing that sounds like a word.  Lots of squeals and giggling.  Still tons of smiles. It makes people around you so happy.  You love people, playing with toys, being outside, the exersaucer, being tickled.  I think you still prefer me but you're liking Daddy more lately (not that you disliked him but this morning you cried when he walked away and I was right there--that's never happened).

Let's see.  Mama went out-of-town for work for two nights.  One of those you and your sister spent with your grandparents.  That was a first.  Mama and Daddy have made plans to leave y'all both for a few nights in May.  Hopefully that will go well, too.

This month you celebrated your first St. Patrick's Day. You looked so cute.  We went out to eat (Mexican food--I don't know) with your grandparents and auntie.  We took obligatory bluebonnet pictures.  You were so compliant!  Yesterday was your first Easter.  It's funny that both you and your sister had monthiversaries on Easter your first year.  (She turned 3 months old that year.)  We were able to spend a lot of time with both sides of the family.  You looked very dashing.  I always thought little girls would be more fun to dress up (and they are fun) but I've been having a good time with you, too.  Already have plans for your Easter outfit for next year.

And, finally, we went to Opening Day last night.  It was your first baseball game (out of the womb).  I can't believe it was your sister's THIRD Opening Day.  I love that we started this tradition before I even met your Daddy and that we've continued it, now with many more people.  Time goes by so quickly.  Buns, there will be times in your life where you can't wait for the future and times where you long for the past.  You just have to try to live in the moment and enjoy it all.  People will try to impart that knowledge on you but it won't make sense until you're ready for it to (that happens a lot).  So that's what Mama's doing.  Trying to enjoy the moment.  There are many good ones.