8 Months!

Weight/Length-You had an impromptu doctor's visit this month and weighed in at 17.5 lbs (less than what I weight you on our home scale last month... hmm... makes me wonder if I actually weigh less, too! ;) )

Eating- You are drinking mostly 6 oz bottles these days, with about 8 ounces right before bed.  We are starting to offer you more solid foods, but I think we need to start bumping up our frequency of this... especially since you are getting SO close to our first birthday!

Sleep- Bed time is roughly 7 pm and you sleep until 6:30 (or so) in the morning.  You've been doing much better with the "sleeping through the night" thing, but have been waking up pretty regularly from a cough in the middle of the night for the past several weeks.  If it doesn't sound like you're able to get yourself back to sleep, mom or dad will go in with a bottle of water to help sooth your throat and that usually does the trick.

 Clothes-Still wearing 6-9 month stuff, but your 6 month stuff is starting to get a little tight... though the 9 month pants are still a big baggy around the middle.  I have a feeling that you're going to be a tall, slender young lady!

Personality- You are SUCH a happy baby!  You only really fuss if a) you're hungry, b) you're sleepy, or c) you want to be down on the ground exploring and, for whatever reason, are not able to do so.  You love to touch and play with new things... and EVERYTHING is still going in your mouth.

Likes/Dislikes-

• You like eating paper.  If I'm not paying close attention you will tear my (unread) magazines to shreds and start dissolving them with your drool.
• You like crawling around (and over) things.  You like pulling yourself up at the couch (or a chair) and walking yourself around it.  
• You like grabbing Dad's thumbs and getting swung in the air.  You smile so big!
• You LOVE to talk!  You make a LOT of noise... a LOT of the time!  Sometimes we'll listen to you in your crib after bedtime chattering away!  
• You like to "sing" along to the radio in the car... specific to Bruno Mars.

•  You don't like getting new teeth.  I don't blame you. =(
• You don't like falling over and hitting your head on things... and you do it a LOT with your new sense of mobility!

Milestones-

You can pull yourself up to standing AND walk along things like the couch or a coffee table!

You have THREE teeth... all of which are on the top.  I'm hoping that you get some bottom teeth soon!

You got your first bruise... right in the middle of your forehead... got into a "fight" with Grandma's dining room chair..

You played in snow for the first time!  You weren't quite sure what to think about it... or the bulky snow suit that mom and dad put you in!

You got your first Christmas tree!

You had your first allergy scare.  You've been coughing a lot at home and mom was worried that you might be allergic to the cat, or dust mites.  The pediatrician recommended an allergist, who did a prick test and chest x-ray, only to determine that you are not allergic to anything at all (Mommy and Scout (the cat) are VERY happy about this!).  You are still coughing though.  The allergist thinks that it may just been your body's reaction to different viruses that you're coming into contact with at daycare, but also prescribed an inhaler to see if that helps.  So far we haven't tried it, so don't know, but mom things that having a humidifier going on in your room at night helps... so, we're trying that first!