Happy 8 Months Birthday!

today you celebrated by teething some more! i'm hoping the little sucker comes through today, because it's been a hard couple days for you. you're in pretty good spirits, despite the mouth pain. tylenol helps!

this past month you've been doing all sorts of new things and making new noises and making and unmaking new routines. i blame the teeth for the sleepness nights and hope they become restful soon.

you are still leary of strangers, but you don't usually scream at people like you did when you first entered your stranger danger phase. now, you pretty much just stare at everyone. daddy says that will be creepy if you're still doing it when you're 18.

here are some pictures of you from today, playing in a tub that we bought to pack up some of your too-small clothes. if i'd known you'd like that thing so much, i wouldn't have bought the exersaucer. remember the duck that bit you long ago and made you sad and tired? you got revenge. he squeaked in protest as you bit his mouth and back and poked his eyes. i bet he'll be glad when you're done teething, too.



love, mom

p.s. here's an update about the tub: as i was typing this letter, you pulled yourself up and were clinging to the side of it. you've stood by yourself while holding onto something before today, but you've never pulled up by yourself until just now. big girl!

you're a water baby!

you love to swim.

whether in the pool, or on the lake, you love it. you love to splash, you love to kick your feet, and you even love to lick the water.

it wears you out.

you are 34 weeks old!

what a big girl you are getting to be. your hair is growing in a lot thicker now, and your facial expressions and everything really make you look more like a little girl, and less like a baby.

you had a really full week, visiting your cousins in oklahoma, then your grandpa in crystal springs. and then the cookout we talked about in the last post.

this past week you have started making a trilling sound, like rolling your RRs, in spanish. it sort of sounds like you're purring. we'll have to get that on video. it's pretty cute. i don't remember sam ever doing that, so it's uniquely you. it's funny to watch you do it and see your little tongue vibrating.

you are also waving a lot. you've been doing it for a while, but we're pretty certain it's on purpose now.

you can almost crawl. you have all the components down. lifting your chest off the ground, tucking your legs under you, and scooting forward by pushing with the legs. it doesn't all tend to happen at the same time. but i'm sure it'll be pretty soon. every day is a new adventure!

love, mom

you had your first cookout!

yesterday, we headed to your friend abby's house for a cookout. her mom and dad cooked us some burgers and hot dogs, and some rice cereal with applesauce for you.

you two had some fun playing with abby's toys.












then bella came over, and you three played some more! abby tried to teach you and bella how to stack them up. she's a pretty smart cookie.










then i guess you got a little tired of playing. here's a picture of you pouting, while the other girlies played.

your mommies really can't wait until you're all in junior high, having big girl drama! actually let's just skip the drama and play softball.

you are 33 weeks old!

you've been having trouble sleeping this week. i'm not sure if it's that you were sick and still aren't feeling 100%, or if it's your teeth bothering you. either way, i hope we both start getting better rest soon.

otherwise, you've been little miss personality. you laugh and smile a lot more, but you are still serious and observant a lot. we think you are trying to compensate a bit for your brother's extreme silliness.

love, mom

you love the green beans.

never before has food elicited such excitement. you gobble them up. it's the only food you'll finish a whole jar of, so far. i hope you love them forever.

here's a video.

your frog bib likes them too!

love, mom

you are 32 weeks old!

this past week has been a bit of a challenge. your cold gave you a snotty nose and makes it a little hard for you to breathe when you lay down at night. we hope you get better soon, and i'm sure the neighbor hopes so too, since her bedroom is on the other side of the wall, and i'm sure she hears you cry almost as clearly as we do.

the good news in that regard is that we are buying a house, so you can scream all you want without waking the neighbors! well, as long as you're inside, i suppose. if everything goes as planned with inspections and appraisals and loans and whatnot, we will be moving in a month or so. i can't wait to paint your room a pretty color! i have some ideas that i think you will like.

sam has been trying to keep you entertained, and despite your crankiness, he's been doing a pretty good job at it. he has been sharing his toys with you and telling you everything will be okay and that he "won't leave you."

sometimes the only thing that makes you happy is a bottle of water to drink. i guess all the dripping snot is depleting your internal water reserves. have i mentioned yet that we hope you get better soon?

love, mom