We were on vacation last week, so being the planner that I am, I started LO's eight month post about 3 weeks ago. Really I just started a list of all of his new things so I wouldn't forget any. Now, as I look back on how that list started, I am even more amazed than usual. He has changed so much just in the last 10 days that it is striking to see what I began writing about in the first part of the month. When Nanny C left June 4th, we said we'd see her in 2 weeks. She replied "you'll be a different baby then!" I think even she will be surprised at how true that is when she returns this Thursday.
Just for fun, I'll break this post down into that list and give details or updates as appropriate for each one.
2) more mobile (rolls or spins in floor on tummy)- Perhaps the biggest area of change since I wrote this three weeks ago. He still spins and rolls all over, but on the day he turned eight month and maybe a few after, he began to commando crawl. For those wondering what that might be, think of soldiers on their bellies trying to crawl under wires. Still not sure? This was taken June 13th; he made a lot of progress very quickly.
He's also sitting much better. He still occasionally falls over, but he's stable enough to play sitting up without me being behind him. He is better at transitioning from sitting to lying on his tummy/crawling.
3) More foods (LOVES sweet potato)- We're still on single ingredient pureed foods, but we're branching out. I really want to get to the farmer's market to take advantage of all the yummy local veggies. Sweet potatoes were definitely a hit which seemed to make DH proud. The peaches, while expertly made, were part of the first crop and were a little tart. We'll try them again soon. The biggest related news here is that LO's first tooth (his lower right incisor)began to pop through! We noticed it June 9th. He's seemed pretty miserable, but is being a trooper overall. Before long he'll get to start using those pearly whites to try some more advanced foods. We'll get pictures of that tooth up as soon as it's in enough to show up.
4) Nursing still (necklace help, more efficient)- After all of the to do over nursing in my seven month post, things are going great after all! I think LO still spends more time nursing than most babes his age, but he has gotten so much more efficient. He often spends just 10-15 minutes on each side. I know this is normal for a lot of babies, but it's about half the time he used to spend. I think a lot the distractibility that concerned me last month was just him being done nursing and me expecting him to take as long as he always had. DH's great Mother's Day gift of the Mommy Necklaces have also been very helpful to redirect LO when distraction is still an issue. It's also funny to me that LO has started being very clear about when he is finished nursing. He will either sit straight up and roll off the nursing pillow. It's sort of like he's excusing himself from the table! Another thing he has actually done for about two months now that I don't want to forget later...he balls his little fist up and rolls it on my shoulder or arm while he eats. I have no idea where that came from, but it's one of those things that just makes him him. He also will cover his face with his bib. Usually this is because he is tired, but sometimes it turns into "peek-a-boo" which is fun.
5) early discipline (hair pulling)- LO, and most babies his age, likes to pull hair. It may have been a coincidence, but this seemed to start a little over a month ago when I actually had my hair down while nursing LO before a wedding. He was mesmerized. Around the same time, my bangs had gotten so long that they hung quite close to LO when I bent over him. He thought it was great fun for me to tickle his face with them. Shortly thereafter, I got my bangs cut, but he continues to enjoy grabbing them. In the last month we have begun to work on "be gentle" and "no, that hurts mommy." We have a long ways to go, but he often will touch my hair or face with a gentle, open palm which is very sweet. Unfortunately, that is still usually followed by a mischievous yank.
6) turned on mobile- This really should have been a blog post of its own. I can't remember the details now. Basically I was creeping up the stairs to listen to whether LO was awake from a nap and about half way up the stairs heard the music from his mobile. I just stood there in disbelief. He had obviously turned it on himself. This has only happened about three times. Sadly, we had to take down the hanging part of his mobile a few days ago because he is big enough now to pull on it. Since then, I have been trying to show him that if he pushes the buttons he can turn on the music (usually we turn it on by the remote, so he hasn't seen us use the buttons a lot). Yesterday I put him down for a nap and he turned it on. I don't think it's intentional yet, but maybe it will be one day soon.
7) looks for Daddy- At first this was just looking for DH when he had just left the room. Now he looks if he hears his voice and, sometimes, seems to look for him in situations where DH often shows up (like waking up in the morning).
8) jumps some- now he jumps A LOT! This is especially true when he's in his exersaucer. He is also getting more steady on his legs. He still needs our support for balance, but he will bear weight on his legs for several minutes now.
9) two trips- We went to Hendersonville, NC to meet up with Grandpa, Lah-oo and Aunt L over Memorial Day weekend. LO did much better in the car this time. He was off schedule most of our time away, so was grumpy and a little dazed. Overall a nice trip though. It was so great to see everyone and such a help to have extra hands and eyes to help with LO. We appreciated that help even more when we took vacation the following week and didn't have it. Our first family vacation was the week LO turned eight months. We went to Big Canoe, a golfing resort in the north Georgia mountains. THAT is the topic of another post that I hope to get together in the next week.
10) eye batting/squeezing- Sadly this has come and gone and I don't think we have video of it. I'm not sure if LO just realized he had control over his eyes or what, but for several weeks he would squint or blink a lot, then tilt his head and smile. It was very cute.
11) hair long enough to be messy/curly- At first I noticed his hair was messy a lot of the day, then that mess turned into waves on the top of his little head. It is starting to flip out on the sides now too. It kind of reminds me of his Grandpa's hair when he needs a haircut. ; ) I'm holding off on LO's first cut as long as I can. He's a long way from needing it, I think.
So that was this list. In addition to all of that LO has taken up a couple of combat sports. Namely wrestling and boxing.
Wrestling is his favorite which he practices routinely on the changing table or when it's time to settle down for sleep in the rocker. Boxing comes into play if he gets really animated at nap time. It is followed very shortly thereafter by being left alone in the crib! Lastly, his most consistent new thing in the last month is a sort of popping/smacking of his lips. He will do this for 30-45 minutes sometimes. Nanny C says she has several times gone to check on him after a long nap and he was lying in bed doing this. Who knows how long he had been awake, just lying there quietly popping his lips. We have video of this, but we're having technical difficulties so look for it soon!
He is changing so fast! He gets cuter every day. What is this flash of a swimming pool at the end???????with no comment?????? We want more of that clip. Just teasing you.....I know you will put it up when you can. :) Thanks for the great update.
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