8 Months Old

Dear Eva Kate,

Today you turn 8 months old! Yay!!!! I think this month is the first one that doesn't feel like it's flown by. We've done so much and gotten into such a great rhythm as a family so I feel like we really took advantage of each day.

One of my favorite things about you this past month is that you've shown that you are in fact my baby. You love getting your picture taken! When I hold up my camera and go, "Say cheese, Eva," you will give me some of the best grins.  You also love going to the swimming pool! We've started going almost every day. The only part that makes you cry is when I lather you with sunscreen, especially your face. Sorry baby, gotta protect that precious skin. I'm so happy that you love to splash around in the water and aren't afraid to hang out in your baby float.

You are also super friendly when we go places. Whether it's Walmart or out to eat someplace, you love to make friends. I'm sure that your smile is a blessing to all of those strangers! To go along with this, you also love to make noise. Lots of loud noises, even when you're happy. You have a happy squawk that you like to make when you are trying to get our attention.

You have started eating 3 meals a day this past month. Sometimes a "meal" is only about an ounce of food. I think that egg yolk is the only new food we added this past month since I still have so many food cubes leftover. Soon we'll add quinoa and some summer fruits and veggies. I've tried giving you tiny pieces to see if you'd like to start feeding yourself, but you aren't interested. You do like to mash food all over your tray and yourself. You also love the game of dropping your spoon, sippy cup, or whatever else I hand you off of your tray and onto the floor.

                                  
You are such a pro at sitting up now, even more so that at 7 months. And you are so happy to sit on the floor and play with toys. This is really nice because it helps me squeeze in time to do a few things. Plus it's so cute to watch you get excited to play with the same toys over and over every day! You have some blocks and some plastic balls with things inside of them that you really enjoy. You also love to play with kitchen things like spatulas, mixing bowls, and measuring cups.

You can roll repeatedly in both directions now! Sometimes you can decided to wiggle yourself around in a circle to you can reach things better. No crawling yet, but you will get there soon! When anybody holds you in their lap or in their arms you become an extreme wiggle worm! You aren't trying to get away, you just like to move! Sometimes when we feed you, you start dancing in your highchair. You also like it when I have music playing on my iPod while we play. Funny moment - the other morning we were watching I Love Lucy together and when Ricky Ricardo sang a Cuban nightclub song we danced together and you thought it was sooooo funny!!!! Hahaha,you are my favorite.

What else? Hmm... you are not sleeping through the night. Ever. Sometimes you will only take 2 long naps instead of 3 medium ones. You like it when I play Pat-a-cake with you. You pull your bow off your head all the time.You will try to chew on anything paper or plastic that you can get your hands on. You love to stand with your hands out on the coffee table, couch, or Wonder Bug but I have to be right there to catch you because you definitely will fall and can't balance yourself yet. And you have the absolute best baby laugh in the world. Let's have another amazing month, baby!

love, Mama