8 months

There are no pictures to post this time; not yet anyways. The babe has been sickly and the momma has been lazy, and the pictures have just not been taken. I have a few more weeks. Anyway, I just had to go ahead and write this post, because she's learning so much every day. I was just telling my parents last night, that this week has been unbelievable. I feel like she is literally growing up right before my eyes. Dramatic, I know. I just want to freeze all of these moments, to be able to go back to them and relish in them whenever I want. Okay, I'm done.

1. Crawling - she started a few weeks ago, but just this week she's started exploring the entire house. I lost her for a few minutes today.

2. She says something that sounds a lot like "mamama". She only says it when she's tired of chasing us and wants to be picked up,  or when she's really hungry and she wants the goods. It just happens once or twice every day or two, but I love love love to hear it.

3. She pulls up! We try to put her in her crib with some toys for a little "independent play time" every day (aka - time for mom to take a shower). This past weekend I plopped her in there turned around to grab some toys and next thing I know she's standing up with a huge, proud smile on her face. To the pack-n-play she went until Ben could lower her crib mattress. If you see us anytime soon, try to ignore the bruises on her face that she got while gallivanting around the coffee table, dining room chairs, cabinets, our legs, etc...

4. Ben, and her grandparents, and her Sonshine School teachers, and everyone else with some sense, have finally talked me into putting her to sleep without swaddling her. The poor girl has probably been ready for a while. But something about seeing her all cuddled up and snugly, means she's still a little baby.

5. She doesn't sleep as well as I'd like her to.

6. She still has the ear infections. She has an appointment with the ENT tomorrow.

7. She claps! And when we're holding her and she gets excited about something, she starts patting us. It's like she's saying "Mom! Look! Sweet potatoes!"

8. She still picks her dad over me most of the time, unless she's hungry. I both love this and hate this.

9. She weighed 17.9 pounds at the doctor's office yesterday.

10. She likes to do naughty things now - like stand up in the bath tub and throw her puffs.

She is pretty awesome.

Sorry this is so long and wordy. It's mainly just for me.