Bennett--8 Months (April 7-May 6)

Wow!  The months are just flying by and I can't believe it!

One of your favorite new tricks--standing!

Stats

• Forgot to measure you, but you weighed about 21 pounds still.  All that crawling is stretching you out and burning calories!
• Still in Size 3 diapers
• Shoes:  no clue what size (maybe a 3 since the 2 I held up to your foot at Target was right on size).
• Clothing:  9 month and 12 month--whatever we have really!

Sleeping

• Still between 10 and 11.5 hours a night.
• Naptime, well that's another story!  You only nap about an hour total at daycare, which means you get a nap when I pick you up.  But...you nap great at home!  On weekends you'll take a nap about every 3 hours or so.
• Since you can now stand in your bed, it's always interesting to put you down!  We stopped fighting you on it though and have now started letting you cry it out.  If you're really fired up you fight it for about 30 minutes, but most naptimes/bedtimes, you wallow around your bed for about 10 minutes and then you're out for the count!

I stick my tongue out at your efforts to keep me lying down!

Eating
We've added in more meats and dairy to your diet and you're loving it!
Protein:  real ground turkey and chicken breast, as well as any Gerber concoction; black beans; egg yolk
Dairy:  vanilla and strawberry/banana yogurts, cheese
Veggies:  broccoli--real pieces.  Not 100% on that; I may have to puree it for you!

Growth

 •The tongue has now made an appearance!  It came out every now and then when you were littler, but right around hitting the 8 month mark, we noticed it more and more.  You're also learning to move food around in your mouth a little more with your tongue, which is helping you learn to chew!  Big times around here!
•Along with this came syllables when you talked!  It just happened one day and we were so surprised to hear it!  We LOVE it!  You have the "d" sound down pat!
 •Also along with this is LESS DROOL!!!  I consider this a major accomplishment b/c now we're going through fewer articles of clothing/bibs!  It's nice to see the outfit you have on instead of the bib!

• You're now in "big boy" pajamas, and although you are stinkin' adorable in them, it makes me sad that you're growing SO fast!

• You are OFFICIALLY crawling!  You love it and luckily I can hear you grunting or slapping your hands down as you crawl so I know where you are if you're not in the room!  It makes it easier for you to get to me too, because the separation anxiety has kicked in.  It's not too bad though, and we love that you want us because we know it won't always be that way!
• You're still liking when others give you attention--stranger or not!  You make eye contact when you really want attention!
• You're very empathetic and cry at daycare when other babies aren't happy.  (or is that something else and not empathy--I have no clue!)
• They call you the daredevil at daycare because you crawl everywhere, climb up on everything, and don't cry often when you fall and bonk your head!  (Daddy and I try not to acknowledge it when you fall/whine at home--we hope this will pay off later on...)  Don't worry though...we give you lots of loving if it really upsets you!