8 Months Already??

Ezzy - this past month we saw such a huge leap in your interaction with everyone around you. You like making eye contact with strangers and then smiling when they finally look at you. Or sometimes you just want to stare them down with a stony look, which is cute now, while you're young, but you probably shouldn't try that once you're older. You try to ham it up for Mommy and Daddy, and I think you like getting giggles out of us just as much as we like to get them from you. One of my favorite new things from the past month is that you've started giving me and Daddy kisses. Before you would scrunch up your face and turn away to avoid any kisses like the plague. Now when I say "give Mommy a kiss" and pucker up, you look at me with your mouth slightly open, waiting for the kiss. Sometimes you also stick your tongue out, so we're still working on your technique, but it's the thought that counts. My other favorite development in the past month is your infectious laugh. Lately you get into fits of uncontrollable laughter, and it is absolutely hysterical to watch. Of course we caught it on video, so you can check out the cuteness below. Now that you're 8 months old, you suddenly seem like such a big boy. In just a few short months you'll be turning 1! And then you'll be walking and talking. Daddy and I were looking at pictures and videos of when you were just a few weeks old, and we would try so hard to get any emotion or smiles from you. Now you have such a big personality, it can't be contained. We are so excited to be on this journey with you, watching you grow and learn and explore the world around you. We love you more than you will ever know.

Some 8 month stats: Ezzy weighs 17 lbs, up from 15 lbs, 14 ounces at 7 months. He just moved up to size 3 diapers, he's officially outgrown his 6 month pajamas, and he's wearing some 9 month onesies (but still in the 6 month pants). 

Our 8 month daily routine: Our current routine is almost exactly the same as our 7 month routine. The only real difference is that Ezzy's sleep schedule sucks more than ever. For awhile he was waking up every two hours. One night, after I nursed him like five times in a row and he still refused to go to sleep, I gave him a bottle out of exasperation and then he slept for seven blissful hours. So then I became convinced that formula was my magic ticket to getting some sleep and began experimenting with giving him a bottle of formula some nights, in addition to nursing him. Unfortunately we haven't managed to duplicate that magical seven hour stretch again, but we've had a few four hour stretches, and even five hours one night, so we're back to only waking twice per night, which is an improvement. I'll take it. 

Some notable changes from last month:

• Ezzy (somewhat accidentally) ate real solids the other night. Not the pureed mushy stuff, but a frozen waffle (yes, it was still frozen when we gave it to him). We thought it would help with his teething, but he managed to defrost it with his gums within a few minutes, and then he chomped it to little pieces and ate about a quarter of it. We were keeping an eye on him, but he seemed to really enjoy it. And today he had little bitty pieces of pasta, which he loved.
• He's getting really good at picking stuff up off the floor while he's sitting and pushing himself back into the sitting position. He's also good at grabbing onto stuff and pulling himself from laying down to sitting up. 
• He's still only pushing himself backward, instead of crawling forward. I've been feeling like crawling is right around the corner for the past few months, but I'm just going to enjoy these last few days of immobility before I really really have to keep my eyes on him. 
• Last month he developed his chuckle/giggle, and his newest thing is to get into little hysterical fits of laughing. It's the funniest, most infectious laugh. He'll be gasping for air and throwing his head back and then start laughing all over again. And it's always over silly things, like a water bottle or a plastic bag.
• We've been doing our daily walks in the stroller, and he actually seems to like it for the most part (minus a few meltdowns).
• He's so much more active. It's like trying to hold a squirmy wild animal. He is constantly reaching for anything we have in our hands, or trying to rip the skin off our face, or sticking his fingers in our mouth. He's very energetic and very inquisitive.

Ezzy likes (in addition to his 7 month favorites):

• Ripping up paper or napkins. This started at Christmas time, and he still gets a kick out of it. He'll rip a napkin in half while screaming like he's a mini Hulk. It's kinda cute, and kinda scary. I can already imagine the stuff he'll destroy once he can move around.
• Ceiling fans.
• Water bottles (such a consistent favorite, it's worth mentioning monthly).
• Watching moving cars.
• Being tickled.
• Throwing stuff on the floor.
• Vitamin bottles.
• Cardboard boxes.
• His TV remote.
• Bouncing up and down.
• Giving kisses.
• Food! (Again, he loves it so much, it's worth mentioning again.)

Ezzy dislikes:

• Tummy time.
• Potatoes.
• When Joe or I leave.
• Not getting enough sleep (which sadly happens daily).
• Our most recent photographer at JCP. He kept crying at the sight of her. Luckily we still got a few cute pictures.
• Our friend's son, who is only a few months older. We thought he'd be intrigued by another baby, but he kept crying at the sight of him.