Eight Months

Carter-bug, you are growing into a beautiful little girl!

We are constantly amazed by the things your are learning to do. At first, you started scooting around but now you are getting faster as you become quite the crawler. We put you on your mat in the den as we work in the kitchen but you don't stay there long. You make your way around the couch and a moment later you are on all fours in the kitchen with us. You have yet to explore the front entry way or make your way to the stairs but we know it is only a matter of time. When we are upstairs, you like to crawl around in our bedroom, always making your way into our bathroom. (For some reason you always crawl to the shower door...you do enjoy taking showers and watching the water come from the shower head.) If we give you enough time, you make it to our closet and you like to get a good look at our shoes. Needless to say, you are on the move constantly!

Along with crawling you are showing signs that you are close to pulling up. You are still learning how to get your feet under you and it doesn't happen every time you try but on the rare occasions you have figured it out. You also have figured out that instead of getting up on your knees to crawl you can stand up on your feet with your hands on the ground of course and your hiney up in the air. It's the cutest thing to see you do this!

We've had to put the gate up for a while now in your crib. Most mornings we find you hanging on as you are either on your knees or trying to pull up. It's only a matter of time before we have to lower your mattress so you don't get the chance to climb out! You are doing very well in your crib these days. In the mornings, you wake up and entertain your self for about 30 minuets before we come to get you. We love to open your door and see you looking for us through the railings with your swaddle around your legs. Yes, we still swaddle you at night and sometimes during the day. You always nap best for mommy when you are swaddled and resting on our bed...shhh, don't tell anybody that's your favorite place to nap. You have become quite the snuggler. Instead of sitting in bed and rocking you each night, you are swaddled and lay with either mommy or daddy and drift off to sleep. You daddy is the champ at picking you up and carrying you to your crib. Usually he can get you there without you every making a peep! Your sleep schedule varies slightly but you usually go down between 7:30 and 8 and we go in to get you around 7:30 or 8 in the mornings. Some mornings recently you have even slept until 8:30! Naps are still kinda iffy. Sometimes you will take two or three good long naps during the day; but while others you take short little cat naps and are raring to play until you are exhausted at bedtime.

You still love to be held. Whether we are at home or out shopping, you prefer to be in mommy's arms. We've noticed that you have started to rest your head on our shoulder - which you hardly ever did before now, you always wanted to hold your head up to look around. Don't get me wrong, you still love to take everything in; it's just now we've noticed you will do this more often. Not to mention you have even fallen asleep a couple of times being held but resting your head on our shoulder. You will still ride in your stroller but you strain to sit up straight in it and hold on to the piece across the front. Sometimes you do best being in mommy's "papoose" --- you never fuss when you are in that thing!

You give the best kisses. Now granted, they are the sloppiest kisses but they are by far the best. Normally you lay a big wet one on our cheeks and we love it!

Now you are able to help get yourself dressed. Yes, you read that right. She is able to push her arm through the arm hole! Mommy never realized how helpful this would be until you did it the first time and it made getting you dressed much quicker. Wearing a bow is now a normal thing. You are pretty good about keeping it in your hair and not touching it. Every once in a while you will be fussing in your car seat and you take it out to chew on. We will open your door expecting you to be asleep and you have a wet bow in your hands.

 You still squirm while we change your diaper and button your bottoms. Sometimes you roll away before we can get a clean diaper on you and you try to crawl around with your little hiney cheeks shining! We usually have to distract you by giving you a book or a toy so we don't have to go chasing after you.

You definitely love to eat! Mommy has made you peas, green beans, broccoli, spinach, sweet potatoes, carrots, squash, apples, pears, peaches, and mango. So far you have eaten everything! We usually have these foods made and frozen for you and we rotate what you eat everyday. Sometimes you get a little hungry after breakfast and you want some food but most days you eat before your lunch bottle and dinner bottle. We still sit you in your bumbo to eat. Now, we put the table piece on it and give you puff to pick up and put in your mouth. You love to put the puff in your mouth but when you really want it, you hold your mouth open for us to put it in. You have gotten much better at not putting your hands in your mouth when you have food in there...but you still manage to get food and puffs all over your mouth, chin, and cheeks...and sometimes even in your hair!

Now when you smile we see your one little bottom tooth. You continue to drool a lot so we know it is just a matter of time before the other bottom tooth comes in. You look so much older with a tooth!

 

We love you little Carter-Bug! The more you grow, the more beautiful you get!