Eight Months

This past weekend Mette turned 8 months and I think it is high time I sit down and reflect on all she has learned how to do. Really, it is more than your or I (and many others too) combined have learned in the last 8 months if you think about it.

She started by holding her head up and turning it from side to side! All the better to check out the world.

It took her a bit longer than I would have liked but she figured out nursing without destroying me, something I am ever grateful for.

By about three months she had not only mastered smiling, but laughing as well. This is good timing because three months for me at least is when the sleep deprivation feels the worst. Once you make it past four months you have been tired for so long you don't remember not being tired and you begin to just accept it. It is it's own kind of high.

Sitting up was the next big milestone she went for. Once you sit up it is much easier to chew on Matchbox cars, her ultimate goal in life at this point.

While sitting was good, rocking on all fours is better. What beats that? Crawling. And not just crawling, crawling at break neck speed. The girl has a rocket butt when she sees something she wants. She also really seems to enjoy just crawling around, finding toys* and amusing her self. Glorious. A trait I hope stays with her in life, well the amusing herself, not the crawling. At some point that would get awkward.

Along with crawling she has also learned how to feed herself. She is not crazy on being spoon fed but if it can be put in her mouth all by herself, she is into it. I do a lot of small dice steaming these days. She is also a huge fan of drinking water from her sippy cup. She does this with full body enthusiasm which I thought was a bit odd until I saw her watching Otto drink this way at lunch the other day. Aaahh, just one of many habits she is sure to learn from her big brother.

Next on her horizon, pulling up. She can pull up to standing on her own, though not all the time. She is constantly working on it though. It won't be long now before she is cruising the room. Watch out Otto and the cats because you are her main targets. Pretty much she just wants to lay on you and gnaw away. Good luck with that!

*Today's pocket order: Front Right-Mette snot rag, Front Left-Otto snot rag, Right Rear-my snot rag, Left Rear-small bits of unknown things I have picked off the floor or out of Mette's mouth that she should not eat. Pants without pockets are no good to me.