8 Months

Since we traveled nearly the entire past month, Emerson has adapted so well to all kinds of new places and people. We don’t see the pediatrician until next month, but E’s up to 17 lbs! Way to go buddy. (I must say the most annoying thing about having a skinny baby is random people saying, “Oh, are you sure he is getting enough food?” YES to every stranger who has asked me. I feed him so much. More than most babies. It’s genetic. Have you seen baby pictures of Mitch or any of his brothers? Don’t make me feel like a bad mom strangers! I think he is the cutest. Who asks that?)

Here’s what he has been up to:

- Loves to eat whatever I’m eating. His new favorite snack is Havarti with avocados. In the morning when I’m eating blueberries I puree some for him in his little food grinder, and mix them with rice cereal. It’s easy homemade baby food. He also loves his banana puffs. It’s nice to be able to put him in his high chair, place some food on the tray and let him feed himself while I’m cooking. Keeps both of us happy.

- He gets up on all fours, moves a little, then goes back down to his army crawl.

- Can pull himself up onto the stairs and climb 2 stairs. No joke, I was cooking the other night, looked over and saw this. I started realizing my life is about to change—we need to get out the baby gates!

- Loves to play near me. If I’m in the bathroom getting ready or in the kitchen making something, he’ll just scoot on over and play right near my feet.

- When I get home from the gym (and Mitch is watching E), I come up the stairs and say, “Hey Emerson” before he can see me. He looks all around until he finds me and then gives a huge laugh and smile. Melts my heart. He does this to Mitch when he gets home from work too.

- On that note, when we say goodbye to Mitch in the morning, after Mitch walks down the stairs Emerson looks all over for him with a sad face. So cute.

- He screams so much now! Just out of nowhere he’ll give these really loud high-pitched screams. Mitch calls it the little girls’ squeal, lol.

- His colored stacking wood blocks are his favorite toy. I can leave him in his room playing with those for a long time while I clean the bathrooms or do some other chore. With the baby music on and the blocks all around, he is one happy dude.

- He got his first diaper rash last month. I think it happened after a visit to the pool and sitting in so much moisture. It was a really small rash, but nothing a little A&D couldn’t cure.

- He is down to 2 naps a day; one in the morning from 9-11/11:30 and another from about 2:30 – 4:30. He goes to bed at 7:30, wakes up around 5:30am to eat and falls back asleep until 7:30.

- The most wiggly baby I’ve ever seen. Mitch and I assumed all babies were like this, until talking with our friends about it. We’d say “Oh you know he’ll never ever sit still unless he’s asleep; the second we put him down he is off across the room and the second you pick him up he’s trying to crawl over your shoulder and down your back.” Several of our friends said, “oh our baby will sit still and play with a toy or just look around if we hold them.” Wow, that must be nice! Emerson only sits still if he is strapped into: the car seat, the stroller, or the high chair. This child is so active. Anyone who has held him for a least 5 seconds can attest.

- I gave him his first haircut. If you’ve read the above line, you will see why I have no documentation. I figured when your kid pulls himself out of the Bumbo while you’re cutting his hair, it’s probably not a good idea to be worrying about pictures.

When we play Bumbo-head, he laughs so loud.

Before every monthly picture I take, this is what you usually see—Emerson trying to climb off the chair:

What is he doing here?! Weird kid.

The only way I can ever get him to sit still, without being strapped into something: Baby Einstein videos. Yes, I read the recent news article that found the whole study was invalid that claimed classical music made babies smarter (did you hear? see one article here). But let’s face it, if it makes him happy I’m sure it can’t he hurting him.

Look at this pouty lip. I think he’s sad he can’t play in the lake that he’s looking at.

Wow, did anyone actually make it through this novel? Happy 8 months E.