8 months

Today marks Braden's 8 month birthday! 

Loyal long time readers know what that means . . . . the "outfit" pictures!  :)  I just picked a couple this time for comparison - look back in the archives if you really want to see all the shots from each month.

So here's B at 1 month:

4 months:

7 months:

And today, 6/3/09 - 8 months!

So I am thinking this outfit is not going to make it to 12 months (unless we stuff him into it!) If you think of it as a "romper," it fits now . . . if you think of it as a onesie polo shirt, it is still a little too big - but there's not too much room to spare.  Check out those legs and the belly! Eating larger servings of solids is starting to show.

Now, let me just fill you in - it is getting harder to take these pictures . . . you see, instead of posing  for me (laying on the floor all stretched out to get a good shot), today B wanted to sit up like this (and wow, doesn't he look so old?!):

When I repeatedly tried to get him to lay down, he first did this:

then kept trying to do this:

or this:

 . . . so I resorted to this:

 . . . and got the picture (see 8 month pic above)!

Told you I'd have my hands full this summer! :) 

When I put Braden in his crib tonight while I was putting away some of his laundry, he was so pleased with himself that he figured out how to do this (check out the tongue - he's started sticking it out when he is "working hard" at something - so funny!):

Yikes!  We have one more notch that we can move the mattress down, and that's something we need to do ASAP. . .  I took his bumper pad off the other day when I changed his sheet, and am thinking of leaving them off because: 

1) I am afraid he'll use the bumper as a step to climb up higher and tumble right over the rail

2) It is a pain in the rear to tie them on every time we change the sheet

 . . . but part of me wants to leave the bumper on because

1) he doesn't bang his head on the bars

2) the bumper prevents pacis from escaping the crib in the night

3) it looks really cute and goes with his bedding/curtains  (I know, soooo important)

Any advice?  Anyone else with a "climber" who left bumpers on/took them off?

And I know I shouldn't encourage the standing in the crib/pulling up on the rail, but after Braden "suffered" through taking his pics tonight, I plopped him in there while I got jammies ready, and had to snap a couple more shots when he did it again . . .he was sooooo happy with himself.

At 8 months Braden:

• is crawling like a champ

• pulls himself up on everything (including our legs)

• is laughing a lot and likes to babble - says dadadadada, and we think we've heard a couple mamamas, but not necessarily in reference to us

• wears size 2 diapers (still! he's about ready for 3's, I think - but a couple weeks ago when I tried them, I about had to overlap the tab thing-ies to make them tight enough)

• is wearing 6-12 month clothes, depending on style and brand

• is trying to figure out his sippy cup - doesn't really like it yet except for chewing on it

• feeds himself puffs (gerber cereal)

• likes trying table food, but usually gums it around and spits it out

• still just has 2 teeth

• experienced his first (double) ear infection about 2 weeks ago - wasn't fussy at all; we actually took him in because he had a goopy eye and we thought he might have had pinkeye! (didn't)

• enjoys his swing outside, stroller rides, playing with ("reading") books, his stacking rings toy, looking at his reflection in mirrors, glass, and the dishwasher door, and exploring everything with his new mobility

• gives big old sloppy open mouthed drooly "kisses" right on your mouth

• falls asleep by himself, but doesn't like to go to bed until 9 at the earliest (which is fine, because then he sleeps in till 8:30 or longer)