8 Months

Dear Ellison -

You are 8 months old! We are 2/3 through your first year! Holy moly, time is moving way too fast!! Here's what you've been up to lately.

- I think you're tipping the scales at around 20 pounds. You've probably grown another inch too. Maybe around 25 inches or so?

- You're wearing mostly 6-9 and 9 month clothes. You can also wear 6-12 month and you've got room to grow in them. Lots of your 6 month onesies still fit, but 6 month pants and jammies are a little snug. You're in size 3 diapers with plenty of room. No shoes fit yet. You've got plenty of size 3 shoes that are still a solid inch too big! I think you've just got really tiny feet!

- You've only tried a few new things this month as far as food goes. You've had mango which you have loved and started snacking on banana cream flavored waffle wheels. You have really enjoyed snacking with your mesh teether. You've also started eating bigger chunks of some foods (banana, mango, avocado) instead of purée. You've started practicing with a sippy cup and have really started to get the hang of it! You're also finally holding your own bottle. You have been able to do it for months, but you just didn't want to!

 

- You have five bottles a day still...6 oz when you wake up, 5 oz plus fruit/cereal mid morning, 6 oz midday, 5 oz plus veggie/cereal midafternoon, and 6oz before bed. We usually give you a little snack of puffs or fruit early evening before we get you ready for bed.

- You are the best sleeper still. We put you down awake and you usually roll straight to your belly, talk to yourself for a bit, and then right to sleep. During the week you sleep from about 7:30 and we wake you up around 6:15. On the weekends, you'll sleep till 7:00 or 7:30. We still live and die by our bedtime routine. We think it's the main reason you're such a good sleeper. We took the wedge out of your crib this month too. Now, instead of scooting down to the bottom of your crib, you scrunch up in the top!

- You are SO close to crawling! You can get up on all fours, rock, reach out...but you'll stretch the full length of your body to get what you want instead of crawling!! You can definitely move around though. You've become sort of a scooter. You twist and wiggle till you get where you're going! You would much, much rather stand! Even when you're sitting, you twist and try to pull yourself up. We thing you might just skip crawling all together and stand up and walk away one day!

- You got your third tooth this month too! The top front right one gave you a tough little time when it was coming in!

- You love to clap. It's the cutest thing and we've even heard some audible claps lately!

- You're starting to wave now too and we are just eating it up!

- You still think Buddy and Daddy are the best things since sliced bread and light up when you see them!

- We've noticed you're getting a little ticklish and you have the best belly laugh!

- School is still going so great. You love your teachers and are learning so much. We are really lucky to have found such a special place for you.

- You are such a wiggle worm! You're constantly moving and squirming. I once heard that trying to get a baby in a onesie is like trying to fit an octopus into a bagpipe. Fact. Changing your diaper is like an Olympic sport. You love to dance and bounce!

- You had lots of firsts this month when we took you to Florida to visit Nana and the Dude. You flew on an airplane, swam in the pool, went to the beach, went for a boat ride, saw fish and dolphins, and had a blast!

- You're still chatty chatty. We think you're starting to really associate daddy with dada. Still no mama yet, but we'll get there!  We think you might be making "mmm" motions with your mouth, but no actual sound is coming out with it yet!  You do lots of talking on the way too and from school, and I just love to listen to your sweet babbling! 

- You are the absolute best thing we've ever done. You make everyday happier than the one before. We love you to the moon and stars and back sweet Ellie Belle.