Thursday, June 17, 2010

8 months

I can barely type it without getting choked up. My babe is 8, yes eight, months old today. How did this happen?

Today also marks a small milestone. But a milestone nonetheless. Today, Doc Handsome has finally known Mini DH for the same amount of time that he hasn't know him. After four months missed at the begining of his life, he has celebrated in the four months following.

Up to this point, I've always rounded Mini DH's age upwards.Whenever someone asked is age, if he was one or two weeks away from being another month older, I'd just say he was already that old. But last week, I found myself doing the opposite. He was only a week away from being 8 months, but I so badly wanted to hang on to the fact that technically he was still in his 7th month.

I think I've perhaps written the biggest list of milestones for any month so far. What in the world is my now 8 monther doing you ask? Well here it is.

-He has started copying our sign language signs for either "mamma" or "dadda." They are both pretty similar signs so we're still trying to decipher which one. It's been a bit of a competition between Doc Handsome and I. "He's saying mamma." "No, he's saying dadda!" He also understands the sign for "eat." But hasn't reciprocated.

-He says "mamma" over and over again. Especially when he's put to sleep. It's pretty darn cute.

-He has 6 teeth! The top 4 all came in within the same week. Needless to say, that week was a tough one.

-He is commando crawling everywhere. He hasn't quite figured out how to lift his tummy, but he's made do.

-Holds himself up on furniture, the fridge, etc.

-Screams as soon as you open the car door. He hates his carseat when you first put him in.

-We're making all his food at home for him. So far he's had squash, green beans, peas, sweet potatoes, prunes, apples, peacher, pears, papaya, bananas, carrots, avocado, turkey, chicken, oatmeal. I'm sure there's a few more. We started only giving him vegtables for a month and then started with fruits. And we just started with meats this week. He eats about 4-6 ice cubes of food at a meal and he's eating three meals a day. He has two snacks a day also. Ranging from anything to do with toast, cheese, yogurt, etc.

-Drinks 4 oz. of water every day from a sippy cup. We had to buy him one with a straw because he wasn't too fond of the other type. We rarely give him juice. When we do, it's very watered down.

-Knows how to put up a good fight when you take something he wants away. And very clearly understands the word "no."

-Loves being sung too. There's usually three songs that we've made up, we switch on and off between.

-He's made a clear distinction between the roles of momma and dadda. I think these roles have been distinguished in large part to integrating Doc Handsome into Mini DH's schedule when he first got home. Mom is the one who will carry you around everywhere on her hip. Dad plays with you on the floor. Mom sings to you while rocking in the glider, while Dad will toss you up in the air and swing you away. He has this figured out so well, that when I watch him while Doc Handsome is at work, he will get fussy if I try to play with him on the floor too long. He's probably thinking, "What are you doing? You're the one who's supposed to be toting me around." Yet when Doc Handsome is at home with him when I work, they play on the floor the entire time. Yes, he's slightly abusing this new found knowledge.

-He cracks up if you show him a picture of himself, me, or his daddy. Not to mention, the mirror is automatic fun time for him.

-He's a pretty experienced traveler. He's been on ten plane flights up to this point and numerous 6 hour car drives.

-Loves Toby and Kong. He's chased Kong once and Toby always licks his face. He doesn't know how to be gentle with them, so luckily our pets seem to understand that he just plays rough at this age. We're working on the gentle sign next.

-There's nothing a walk in the stroller can't cure

-I've learned that no matter how well we watch them, there will always be random battle wounds. At this time, he's had two blisters, a scratch on his head, a scratch on his foot, I've had to call 911 from choking, and I'm sure the list won't end here.

-I'm pretty sure he's over the momma's boy phase. At times, he's better behaved for Doc Handsome. This is bittersweet. He still lights up when I walk in the door from work and reaches for me all the time. This week was the first time he did both of those things for Doc Handsome though. It made his entire month.

-18.3 pounds and 26 3/4 inches long

-He loves classical radio. Actually enjoys any type of music except metal, and Doc Handsome has vowed to change that.

Maybe that's enough milestones for this month. He has his 9 month well baby checkup in July. Mini Doc Handsomes's schedule now goes something like this:


8am: Wake up. Change the all nighter diaper. We pull him into bed with us while we wake up together and cuddle as long as he'll allow. On weekdays and Saturdays, Doc Handsome is gone by 7am.

8:30am: Feed Mini DH breakfast. Usually this consists of nursing followed by oatmeal mixed with a veggie or fruit.

9-10:30am: Play time.

10:30-11:30am: First nap. Usually lasts an hour.

11:30-12:30pm: Outside time. Either a walk, a picnic, or the park. He loves the swings. Doc Handsome gets home around this time and I leave for work.

12:30-3pm: Lunch time around 1 with nursing. Play time with Dad. Sometimes they go for walks, play in the house, run errands, or whatever needs to be done.

3-4pm: Takes his second and last nap. Usually lasts about an hour.

5:30: I get home. I start dinner. This is our family time of the day. We're usually all in the kitchen at this point.

6:30pm: Mini DH gets put in his high chair for dinner. And nursing afterwards.

7pm: Bedtime routine. Bath, reading, calm activities.

8pm: Bedtime. Which also means time for us to do anything we wanted to do during the day but couldn't, before we go to bed ourselves.

Mini DH has slept one night all the way through without waking up. But on a regular basis he waks up twice. Some nights once and others three or four. So is the ever changing life of a baby.



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Aren't sleeping pictures the most precious? Look at that button nose...the only thing he got from me!
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He's growing up too fast.
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We've resorted to taking baths with Mini Dh because he's too big for the baby one and too small for the adult one. Then we luckily found the ducky bathtub. Don't worry...he has shorts on!
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I usually pump here and there so they can bond more
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Blurry but I loved having my little man visit me in my office
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Park time
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Making a run for it
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Escaping the ducky bathtub
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"You caught me mamma."
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He discovered the dog's water. After many attempts to keep him away from it, I let him have his fun.
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"Mamma you make good toast."
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"I'm ready for Toy Story 3 guys!"
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P.S. As I wrapped this up, he started entertaining himself by blowing raspberries on my leg. Can you tell I'm quite the proud mother?

4 comments:

  1. And it just keeps getting better and better!
    I am just so in love with him!!! I can't believe how big he is getting and how much he is learning!! YAY!! :)

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  2. what a cutie!!!! I just did Tator Tot's four month post, they must have a close birthday date:)

    How cute is it that he says mama!! I didn't realize they could start talking so young!

    I blow raspberries on Tator Tot's belly all the time, but he still doesn't know what to make of it! I can't wait to get him giggling at it!

    And guess what, my little man is ALSO the spittin image of his daddy, and the only thing he got from me was his mouth, lol!

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  3. Hendrix just turned 8 months on the 18th! he is pretty much doing everything your lil guy is. especially playing in the duck tub!!! he is obsessed. we took it outside and filled it up with water the other day and he loved it. i think he still prefers it without water tho. lol

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