8 Months...

**disclaimer...this is a loooong post....apparently month #8 was a busy month for Libbi :0)**

Sweet Libbi Jane....you are eight months old today!  I cannot believe that in just four short months we will be celebrating your first birthday!  Oh, how I love watching you grow!  Here is a little bit about you on your 8th month of life...

*You weigh 22.5 pounds (on our scale at home...but, I personally like to think that our scale adds a few extra pounds...) and I'm not sure how long you are...it is too hard to measure you!  You are a squirmy worm!!  You wear mostly size 12 month clothes and are still in a size three diaper.  I am starting to stress a little because I am not too sure what size clothes to buy you for this summer....I am HOPING that you will fit in a 12-18 month, because that is mostly what I have bought, but I have a feeling you will continue to grow over the next four months ;0)

*You are a great little "sitter" now.  You love to sit up and reach for EVERYTHING!  (Especially the things that we do not want you to have.) You would do anything to get to the remote control or a cell phone!  You love to hold on to your "lovey" and you sleep with it every night.  You love to play with your "blabla" doll...mostly you scream at it and chew on it a lot...but it looks like you really enjoy it! :)

*You have figured out how to scoot while you are sitting up and you will scoot yourself from one toy to the next.  Often times, you use one hand to scoot, so you end up doing "donuts" in the living room floor.  You will get on your hands and knees and rock back and forth, but you have not really figured out what to do from there.  You are a professional "backer-upper" and you will "push" yourself in reverse all over the place, but you haven't figured out how to "pull" and propel yourself forward, yet. You have, however, figured out how to get yourself stuck underneath all kinds of things...

*You still loooooove to eat.  You have tried all kinds of fruits and vegetables and I have not really found anything that you do not like.  I think your favorites are peaches, pears, and sweet potatoes because you will clean your plate when you eat these and you will smile and make little "mmmmmm" sounds while you're eating them.  You had your first taste of prunes this month....and since you're a lady, that's all I'll say about that. (Except that you absolutely LOVED them, too!)

*You love to sit in your high chair in the kitchen. I think it's just because you are so nosy and this gives you a better view of what's going on around you - ha! But, whatever the reason, I'm glad you like to sit in your chair, because I can cook dinner or unload the dishwasher, etc. while you are happily sitting in your highchair just watching everything!

*You experienced your first snow this month.  You are like your momma and you didn't care for it too much - ha!  We'd both rather be indoors where it's warm (and I'm sure you would have asked for some hot chocolate if you could have!)  You sat in the snow and touched it when I held it up to you, but when it got on your jacket, you were pretty much d.o.n.e....

*You have kept with your pattern of inconsistent sleeping.  You go to bed around 7pm...sometimes you sleep all night (yay!) but other times you wake up around 9, then again at 11, again at 3, and finally for good around 5 (boo!).  You do not nap.  I try everything I can think of, but you refuse to take more than a 30 minute nap.  You just want to play all day.  You never fuss or whine....you just want to talk and play. You are just way too nosey to close your eyes and sleep! 

*You used to nap in the car, but not anymore!  You have figured out that I am the one driving and you will sit up as far as you can and crane your neck so that you can stare at me.  It is a little unnerving at times, because I can feel your eyes on me the entire car ride - ha!  So much for our little mirror in the back that lets me see you in my rearview mirror....all I can see is the back of your head, because you are turned around staring at me!

*You now have six teeth - four of which came in this month!  You have bit me a handful of times, but I am hoping that it was just one of those days when your teeth were really bothering you and you were also congested, because it has been a few weeks since you have done it again.  Let's hope that's not a new habit! You nurse four times a day (sometimes five, because if you are still awake around 9pm, I usually give in and feed you again...).  You constantly grind your teeth and it drives me bananas!  It is probably one of the worst noises I have ever. ever. ever. heard!!  It sounds like you are crunching your teeth into little bits and pieces.  Hopefully, you will still have teeth left by the time you quit doing this!

*You have really started to cling to me....which just warms my heart!  Whenever I walk in the room you will get so excited and immediately put your hands up for me to come and get you.  You will grab onto me for dear life if I try to hand you to someone you are not as familiar with.  If I happen to walk by you without picking you up or if I step out of the room, you will cry and make the most pitiful face!  It is heartbreaking (even though I know you are just a little drama queen!) You are becoming very skilled at turning the tears on and off at the drop of a hat or poking out that bottom lip of yours....oh, the trouble we are in for!

*You can stand up while holding onto something, but you can't quite pull up on your own yet.  I know it won't be long, because you are really trying!  You clap your hands and smile pretty much all the time.  Whenever we say, "yay" you will clap your hands - it is the cutest thing!  You also wave at everyone...including yourself! :)  Anytime you see your reflection in a mirror or even in a window, you will wave like crazy and break out into the biggest grin like you've just found your long-lost twin sister. 

*You really are the best baby and you have the sweetest disposition.  You love being out and about, because there is so much for you to see!  Whenever we go out shopping or to a restaurant, your head is on a constant swivel.  I swear, if you could be like a little owl and turn your head all the way around, you would!  You keep a close eye on everyone (Buddy likes to remind you that he is NOT going to steal anything from our house, so you can relax and quit staring at him).  You love to smile and laugh, which your Daddy and I love to hear.  Your laugh just melts our hearts!

Libbi Jane you are the light of our lives and we have loved watching you grow these past eight months.  I pray that you will always be quick to smile and laugh.  I pray that you will continue to bring joy to everyone that comes in contact with you for years to come!  You are my joy and I am so thankful that I get to spend my days with you....what a blessing you are.  I love you Sweet Girl...Happy 8 Months!