8 month Mover and Shaker

How can this baby with the most adorable wrinkles be 8 months old?

I mean, really....the wrinkles. Gah, they kill me!

He still kills me with his cuteness.

And he still surprises me with how fast he can go from this....

To this....

Mere seconds.

Regardless, he still blesses us daily with his sweetness and strong personality. Although he baffles me at times, and am often left wandering what caused such a catastrophic melt down.

I have learned rather quickly that one cause can be taking anything away from him, and when I say anything, I mean anything. Even something as trite as a piece of fuzz. 

Such a funny little boy.  The complete opposite from his brother. 

And one that is growing up super fast.

This month has been a big one in the milestone department. He has started mimicking little things we do, such as raising both hands in a "hallelujah" stance when I say "YAH!".

He has started trying to wave. Melts me.

He has finally mastered the art of his own version of an army crawl. I'm convinced real crawling is right around the corner.

With this new found mode of movement he has been less dependent upon myself for his entertainment. It's fun to see what peaks his interest and where he wants to go. Often he wants to be right where big brother is, and playing right in the middle of whatever big brother is trying to do. Cole both loves this and hates this.

As of this morning he has started dancing and bouncing around to music. I guess you could say we have a mover and a shaker.

He still is up all hours of the night....beginning to think this will last until he is 21. 

In our own efforts to cope, we have resorted to (gasp) co-sleeping. Something I swore I would never do.  But in doing so, we all seem to get a better nights rest....and can function more properly during the day. Meaning you won't find me putting the milk in the pantry and the cereal in the fridge nearly as much.

He still likes to play at around 3am-5am. Then wakes up happy as a clam as if he got in a solid night of beauty sleep. Mom on the otherhand, looks as though she got in a battle with the sheets and lost. 

I never knew the meaning of dark circles as I do now. I have a new found appreciation for make up and illuminating powder is my saving grace.

He's still got the stiff as a board routine down to a "T". And now uses it to his advantage when he doesn't want to go in his highchair. I thought all babies liked highchairs. Just another example of how Mr. Bennett likes to dance to the beat of his own drum, and his drum only...and you best not try to change his mind.

And after I can convince him to sit his diaper bum down, he gets excited and talks his way through trying new foods. That is when he doesn't decide to blow raspberries right after taking a bite, I ended up with pear all over my face, down my chin and decorating my hair this morning.

We are still moving slowly, partly because I love to breastfeed and partly because half the time I simply forget. We got in such a good nursing routine, that it's been hard to interrupt it. But I am getting into a good baby food making rhythm, and have a growing stock in the freezer. My goal is to try and have at least 4 different purees to mix and match after he has tried them. 

 

Still amidst the splattered purees, sleepless nights and drooly mouth. I love him. I love those eyes, those cheeks, that growing chin, and that unbelievably kissable forehead. His forehead has my heart, as in, I Can't.Stop.Kissing.It. I don't know what it is about it, it has this perfectly soft, yet still kind of wrinkly spot that just begs to be smooched.  So I smooch him in the morning, after his nap, in the afternoon, at 2 in the morning. That forehead is going to have a permanent mama kiss on it until the day he dies. 

 

I'm sure he will love that when he turns 16, which might as well be tomorrow at the rate these days seem to be flying by.

 

Regardless 8 months or 16 I will love him to the moon and back, because he is just what I needed, he keeps me fine tuned, keeps my patience well oiled, and keeps my love overflowing. 

Happy 8 months baby boy.