Eight and a half months down!

About every two months I find myself saying, “This is my favorite age yet!” I hope that continues for the rest of your life. You are 8 1/2 months old now and you have become so much fun. People call you an old man in a baby body and say you have wise eyes. You have a sense of humor now and sometimes we have pillow fights and just laugh and laugh and act crazy. And other times, after you finish eating, you look up at me and smile a close-lipped smile and you just sit on your boppy peacefully. Those two extremes, from wild, fun, and silly to peaceful, calm and sleepy are my favorites.

You have started swim lessons with your Aunt Jenny and I’m impressed with your progress. You seem like a well-adjusted kid who can just roll with whatever is thrown your way. That’s important. I hope you continue that trend. You have spent some good time with your family lately. You really love spending time with them. You LOVE playing with your Dad, especially when he flies you through the air. Bubbie likes to sing to you and play piano with you. Nana likes to babysit you so your Dad and I can go see a movie together. Uncle Adam loves to make you laugh by scratching you with his scruffy beard or shaking his head at you. For some reason you like that. Oma was in the hospital and you really cheered her up with your visit. We also visited Granny Lori at her office and she was so happy to see you. I think your Pappy is pretty pleased with you, too.

Now that I’m not working at the gelato shop anymore it has been fun to get a little routine going for you. It is helping you to take regular naps and that has allowed me to write and make books and bake and read. When you are up we go on walks around the neighborhood with Leela, we play on the floor in your room with your toys, we give you morning baths, we swim in the pool or go on little adventures like our last one to Dinosaur World for “Uncle Jack’s” birthday party. We’ve gone to Disney World, seen the ocean, gone bowling and miniature golfing, all sorts of stuff! It is really fun to talk to your Dad about how we’re going to show you anything and everything we can. We’re planning our first big family trip coming up.

I love to watch you learn (standing up, eating new foods, sit down gracefully) and explore (try to eat the shoes on the shoe rack, chase the dogs, go from room to room) and make new sounds (ma ma ma, ba ba ba). Good work so far, kid.