8 months and 12 days

But who is counting?  Sheesh.  One might think that you are my second, third, or even fourth child considering that I failed to document your 8th month mark in writing or in photo.  Yikes!  So, today, November 16, 2011, we're celebrating 8 months and 12 days.  Wow.  Look at what all you are doing.

* At 8 months, you had 4 teeth.  2 days ago your fifth tooth showed through and the sixth is close behind.  This might explain the runny nose, buckets of drool, and restless nights.  Poor little bug.
* You are a crawling machine.  In the past months, I could lay you down on your back or sit you up with toys all around you, and I could fold clothes or wash dishes talking and singing to you all along.  Sometimes I would even slip off to the bathroom and not worry about you running away.  Well, that is NOT the case anymore.  Your waking hours are spent chasing (or tormenting one could argue) the dog, pulling the door stops, playing with the fringe on the rug in the foyer, and picking up every piece of lent, leaf, dog hair, or fuzz on the floor.  OH that cute little pincer grasp.  I love the look on your face and the cute little grunts of joy you make when you crawl to me.  You recently crawled over my legs and are showing signs of pulling up.  I can't keep you away from the decorative urns we have in the foyer.  You want to pull on the handles of the small one.  I need to find a door or screen for the fireplace because you love it almost as much as you love the cable box. 
* You get really excited and express your love and exciting with a little bite.  This, my friend, must stop.  I appreciate your enthusiasm, but OUCH!!!!
* You are such a busy little boy, moving from one toy to the next or distracted by whatever little noise you might hear.
* You like books.  I have recently placed the basket of books on the floor in your bedroom, and you'll crawl over to them and pull out books.  You'll sit in my lap and turn the pages, close the book, and touch the pages with such curiosity.  Then you turn your head to me and reach your arms up to me, and then I know it is time to rock and sing a song or two before you completely tucker out.  I love those sweet moments.
* You do NOT like peas.  I thought you didn't like the ones I made you because the texture was not smooth due to the hull, but I even tried the strained peas by BeechNut, and they made you gag as well.  Green beans; however, are a favorite, and you have accepted chicken (ala BeechNut, not the nastiness I made you) with sweet potatoes, green beans, and apples.  You now know what a banana is and throw a fit when I pick one up.  I can't mash it for you fast enough.  Yogurt you like, but it appears to give you a rash.  You love Love LOVE MumMums, saltines, cheerios, and Ritz.  You are such a big boy in your big boy chair swinging your chubby little legs and self-feeding.  CUTE.  I can't eat anything in front of you unless I am ready to feed you because you just can't handle it.  I tried a sample at Costco and for the sake of all patrons there, I had to feed you some Cheerios to calm you down and even the score.  You love to eat.  And fortunately for me, you are still enjoying nursing.  So nursing we will continue, which makes my pocket book and this momma happy.
* Your favorite toy, may it rest in peace, was the #1 block from a set of stacking blocks.  A certain little white dog claimed it for himself.  Sadly, those blocks only count five to ten.  My dog is sneaky and disobedient and apparently can count from one to four.  Bad Dog!  That little block was just the size of your little hand, and you carried it around everywhere and even crawled with it.  We'll have to find another favorite.
* You waved to me for the first time a few days ago.  Actually, it was on my birthday...thank you, buddy.  I guess you didn't really wave to me so much as to yourself.  It is really quite cute. 
* You say Lalalala, Dadadadada (one of your favorites), Babababa, and you just started with Mamamama.  Yay. 
* You are quite the scene at the grocery store.  You wouldn't believe the number of people who stop to talk to you, giggle with you, and compliment what a good and happy little boy you are sitting up in your cart and swinging your legs with such excitement.  You are quite the flirt!

So much has happened in your eighth month of life and the beginning of your ninth.

Halloween crew.  And yes, that is a cooler of beer in that wagon.

 

Halloween Horse and his Momma.

Check out those teeth with the Dave Letterman gap.  Wow.

Reading with Mimi.

Mimi and Deda came to visit to celebrate Momma and Dada's birthdays.

So did Grandma and Grandpa.  AND we made Thanksgiving dinner. 

Family pic.

The whole gang.

Making of the family photo.  Oops, missed the timer