8 Months Old!

Dear Brinley,

Well little sister, another month has slipped through my fingers- aren't you still 3 months old? Really, where has the time gone? It has been a very busy month full of friends and family, playing, and learning new things. You are so much fun to hang out with! You really are becoming my little best friend, and I love you so much!

Your big milestone this month is crawling, which your Daddy decided is really dragging. You just use those little arms to schlep the rest of your body where you want it to go. Every now and then you will use one leg, but rarely. It is so much easier to do this on the hardwood than the carpet, so that is mostly where I find you when you are playing on the floor. You also love the sound of your toys hitting the hardwood floor, so that would be another reason you hang out there. You haven't really figured out yet that you can crawl to me, because you still cry when you want me to come and pick you up. So, we have definitely made strides in the mobility category, but you definitely haven't mastered the skill. It won't be long though I am sure.

I know deep inside you still love your plethora of toys, but this month you have found joy in the simpler things...and things that can potentially harm you! You can be entertained for minutes with the junk mail or grocery store ads from the day's mail. You love to hold hangers and swing them around. You will crawl to get to a cord of any kind and you love shoelaces! You can even untie a double knot!! I won't tell Santa to stop bringing you toys just yet, but this month you haven't needed them! All the potential eye trauma makes your Daddy crazy, but I always monitor you closely when you are playing with all your new toys, so he doesn't need to worry.

Your little hands and grasp have gotten so much stronger this month. The kindergarten teacher in me just swells with pride over your burgeoning fine motor skills! With your newfound crawling ability, you have learned to pick up all the little pieces of grass, lint balls, and dust bunnies that you find along the way. The funny thing is though that you don't put them in your mouth, you just pick them up and study them very intently. You really can't pass by one without picking it up and moving it out of your way! You can also now hold your own bottle and a sippy cup. You don't love the sippy cup, but you are working on it.

You are still a great eater. We have added yogurt, zuchinni, peaches, pears, and prunes to your repetoire. I have found that you don't like things really cold, like straight from the fridge. You prefer them room temperature or a little warmer. You make a really funny face when something is too cold and then just stop eating all together. You have also enjoyed your "baby safe feeder" with chunks of apple or canteloupe inside of it. The other day, you sat with your Daddy and sucked away on a piece of canteloupe for a good 30 minutes! It's no wonder you love canteloupe though because it's one of my favorites. I know you were really wishing we would have stuck one of your Nan's chocolate chip cookies inside...but maybe next time.

You are just talking up a storm this month! Your favorite word is "nndat!" Now, your Nan and Mimi both claim you are saying, "What's that?" but I am still a little skeptical. You say "dada" alot but I am not sure if you are calling your Daddy or not, you said "da" when the dogs were around and it really seemed like you are trying to say "dog", but without a doubt when you say "MMMMMM Mamamama" you are calling me! And the only reason I know this is because you only say it when you are sad, tired, or hungry. You will call me from your bed to come and get you and you will say it when I am in the other room and you want my attention. It is never really accompanied by a smile or happiness, it just means I want something, and I want it now! You like to sing along with music and you still babble lots of other sounds like "gugugu" "nononono" and spitting while blowing through your tongue. You have started saying "mmmmm" while you are eating too. We truly have some stellar conversations.

You have become much more emotional this month. You can get really happy and giggle alot, you can get really frustrated and scream at the top of your lungs, and you can get really mad and stiffen your body like a board and grunt. You are showing your love through hugs and kisses, which is a personal favorite of mine! You take my face or my hair with both hands and put your big open slobbery mouth right over mine! You even give me a big lick every now and then too. It is soooo sweet! I just love it so much, and your Daddy does too even though getting an open mouth kiss from his daughter was a little hard to adjust to at first. It's your way of showing love and it's precious.

I thank the Lord every day for giving me the opportunity to hold you, kiss you, dress you, change your diapers, rock you, feed you, and teach you all about the world. I find myself telling your Daddy what a sweet and good girl you are. I always want you to know that we are proud of you and all that you choose to be. You are a blessing to our family and I love you more than words can express!

XOXO,

Your Momma

P.S. I really don't plan to dress you up like me as twinkie twins, but sometimes it just happens. I really don't want to embarrass you, so, for future reference, you have permission to give me one of your screams or back arches if we are matching and you don't like it.