Eight Months

Little man you are eight months old today and you are so edible right now I can hardly stand it. You've entered into my favorite stage of baby/toddler-hood and it has been so much fun to interact with you lately. You are dripping with new skills and oozing with personality and we are just having such a fun time soaking it all up.

You started crawling early in the month and you're getting pretty good at it. You're so delighted to be able to independently explore your environment and you amble right up to everything and stick out your little index fingers for a poke. I like to call them your ET fingers and they are your first chosen line of experimentation. Other preferred experimentation measures include knocking things over, banging on them, and, of course, tasting them! When you first started to crawl Sofie and I would go and sit in her room and call out to you. We could hear you grunting and fumbling down the hallway and then your little head would pop around the door frame and we would all giggle together. So fun! Now you try to keep up with us as we flit from room to room and you have no qualms about letting us know just how ticked off you are when we turn around and go back the other way after you've just managed to catch up. Just today you managed to pull yourself up to standing a few times in your crib and I imagine it won't be long 'til you're able to keep up with us just fine!

The warmer weather has brought a few guest ladybugs into our home this month and you seem to have some sort of ladybug radar. Several times I've watched you poke intently at something on the floor only to discover some poor ladybug trying to escape. Goodness knows how many have made it into your mouth! You were also very interested to inspect some worms we found in the dirt with Grampy Dan and Marcy's help this Easter. I know you're young yet, but in contrast to Sofie's very cautious response to creepy crawlies your interest just screams BOY!! to me.

You are really talking up a storm and you'll go on and on about dada and mama, and nanana. Then you throw in a little yaya and some spit bubbles and then mix it all up a bit. You LOVE music and every time you hear it you rock your little bod back and forth. Sometimes you'll even add in your primitive singing, "aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhh!" Daddy likes to tell people your favorite song is the Fillet o'Fish song from the McDonald's commercial because every time you hear it you stop what you're doing to do your little dance. You're absolutely mesmerized by The Wiggles and you completely freeze in awe of them when we play their music videos for Sofie.

Van, your presence has been an absolute delight this month. Your crazy antics fill us up with laughter. We are so fortunate to have you as a piece of this little family of four, an extra slice of happiness to brighten our days together.