1.4.13

Ellie: 8 Months Old

Dearest Ellie:

You are 8 months old!  Actually, you are now 8 1/2 months old!  This old mama is a little bit behind.  A lot behind, actually.  But here's to 8 months!

You are now on the move.  Not on the go yet.  But you have figured out how to move.  You have also realized you do not necessarily have to stay where Mama puts you.  Gone are the days when you stay on your pallet, surrounded by your toys and playing to your heart's content.  Pallets are for 7 month olds.  It's more fun to explore and end up underneath your swing.  Until, of course, you bump your head on the bottom of the seat and plead for someone to rescue you.

You are trying so hard to figure out how to crawl.  You mostly sit on your bottom and pull yourself forward with your right leg.  But lately you are attempting to get up on all fours.  Only that right leg pulls itself out, and you end up scooting across the floor on your hands and left leg, using your right leg to propel you along.

I'm beginning to find you in more places now so I see baby gates in our future. 

You are also beginning to pull up now.  Daddy had to lower the mattress in your crib. 

Besides scooting and pulling up, your other big accomplishment this month was waving.  You love to wave.  But you wave with the palm of your hand facing you instead of others.  I guess that makes sense though because that's what you see when someone waves to you.  And you don't always wave on cue.  But the other day, I picked you up to walk into the kitchen.  You turned around and waved to the cartoon people on the TV.

You are wearing 9-12 month clothes and size 3 diapers.  You are still nursing, but sometimes when nursing isn't convenient, I'll give you a bottle.  I think you much prefer the bottle because you can sit up and see what's going on around you while you're eating.  And you LOVE to eat.  Your favorites are still all veggies except the green ones, apples and pears.  You also like spinach.  You are learning to self feed with finger foods.  You aren't showing any teeth yet, but you drool a lot so I know they're coming.  You still have the same sleeping patterns.  I really need to get you on a better, more consistent daily nap schedule, but that's so hard to do right now with our busy schedule of school, dance and tutoring.  And I really wish you would drop the 4:00am feeding!  It would really be okay!  But at least you do go right back to sleep.

Your most favorite people in the whole wide world are Mason and Hannah Kate!  I'm pretty sure the feeling is mutual.

And so, Ellie girl, it's been a great month!  You are our sunshine, and we love you to pieces!  I love you!  ~Mama