how old are you?

so, yea.

i planned to do monthly posts on you, but apparently i only remember to do them when you have doctor appointments. you didn't have a 7 month check, so i goofed.

in the time that you turned 7, and now 8 months you have changed SO much. you have blossomed into what seems like a little girl, without the the real words.

you babble A LOT. i mean, sometimes i think you are going to be like pockets, which your uncle bry lovingly calls "minniti radio" in reference to pockets and your aunt. i think i may have that babble problem too. you are really emphatic with your sounds and have a set of LUNGS! perhaps you will be a singer like moma. more recently you have added "nanana" sounds and what sounds like "hi" and a little of this and that, but "dadada" is certainly your favorite babble.

i'm still practicing "moma" with you, but i have low expectations. you have started giggling and show excitement for no reason (at least that we know of).... it makes whomever is around laugh and you sort of feed off of that. when i laugh at you, you seem to laugh back.

you still love your books. your favorite is STILL: Five Little Ladybugs. Honorable Mentions go to:

Can a Cat Quack? Peek A Who and a series of short Sesame Street books. you get upset when these books are over and i see the thrill on your face when i open the book back up to start reading. you can't talk, but it's so interesting how directed your cues get. you hit the book over and over and grunt when you want it read again.

you've been putting your arms up when you want to be picked up and now that you are mobile you can choose what object(s) you want and let us know when you want to get movin. 

your physical strength impresses me. i don't have a ton of 8 monthers to compare you too, but you consistently beat me up and seem like you can jump out of anything. you started to crawl right before turning 7m old. you had been working on your mobile-ness for a while, but one day (i think it was pawpaw's bday) you just took off and never looked back. it's army style too. legit low, long arm reaches and so stinkin quick. i love how you look like you are on a mission.

you started to do downward dog in hopes of moving that way. we lowered the pack and play a while ago bc i caught you pulling yourself up and knew it wouldn't be long til you flipped right out of the dang thing. at 8m we lowered your crib. you'd been lifting yourself up onto whatever you could reach, but then you tried it in your crib - and poof! success. i was vacuuming and found you standing in our crib. ...looking guilty and pleased. sorry to end your fun so early.

not just in your mobility, but across the board you are just strong. (yes, i eat it up with a spoon...)

when people hold you, you always have your hand tucked on their chest to push away if needed. maybe you just like to be prepared. you are fearless in getting to point B child. you busted yourself out of the bumbo when i was in the shower, luckily i saw you out of the curtain. otherwise someone would call 241KIDS on me due to you falling/crawling down the steps. Geeez. ...and i still may get a call on me when folks see your boo boo's and bangs. you bump your head on tables and this and that because you are so active. you even have your first black eye. (fail!) i don't even know how you got it. i give you lots of freedom when it comes to roaming and exploring - with that, comes bumps and bruises. you are still intact and the injuries will help you learn and grow. i love that you have a fearless side and like to take chances. (yes, i know, i might eat these words later. in other words i don't want you to feel stifled with feeling like you live in a bubble of boundaries all the time).

and when it comes to feeding, you know when you want to eat and let me know. i barely have my boob out and you are on it or you just try to nurse thru my shirt.  it's like a nose dive. don't worry though, you do this for solid food too. YOU LOVE FOOD! smart girl. and bird, i have only fed you healthy choices and you love them so we are going to go this route as long as you will let us. 

i quit limiting your food choices. it was sort of boring and you are so interested in whatever we are eating that i just feed you bites of whatever we are eating. since mister john and i eat rather healthy it's not hard to give you whatever unless it's doused in something. you enjoy chicken, beans, peppers, asparagus, carrots, avocado, banana.... those are the ones that stick out to me.

really you just love food or the act of eating. half the time i don't know if you even like it or if you just think chewing stuff is fun. even if you make a weird face that appears you don't like something you haven't spit anything out yet and typically you want more.

we are still nursing, but this past week you started a little strike. or something. you are so distractable by ANYTHING and EVERYTHING. feeding you in public is out of the question now only because you have to look around and think you are missing something. you may be starting to ween yourself since you are hyper in love with food, but just seeing where this is going. i'm very much ok with getting rid of a pump in the day so we will see how you do with more food in the day time. i do love nursing you, but completely ok with it decreasing in frequency. i have to say one night you were so tired and went to bed without nursing... while it was cool you knew you needed sleep i was sorta sad bc i like the ritual.

your newest favorite toys are my bellie button and my hair. makes packing very easy. you love peek-a-boo. you've successfully given me raspberries on my belly and love to play with my left over skin near my bellie button. i have you to thank for that... 

you are pretty darn good natured. i don't have complaints. you whine a little more bc you want to do more. you are not what i call patient. at all. people tell me what a good baby you are, and bird, i have to agree - you are a good baby, travel partner, buddy and playmate. you are so squirmy, but good and i know to keep a tight grip on your grooves.

right now you still roll with the punches with nap business and whatever i have going on for me. you certainly tweak my schedule quite a bit, but still i am going about what i need to do for the most part with you napping on the way - the car seat, the ergo, the stroller... i'm not picky where or when as long as you get decent naps. i know i won't always have this luxury. for now i am soaking it up until you demand more needed structure. 

you got your 2 front teeth! those bottom two have debuted!! your 2nd one cut through on vacation which may explain why your sleeping was horrible. all and all i can't complain about teething fussiness except in the evening and at night. a little Tylenol before bed seems to do the trick. you look like such a big girl with those chompers!

separation anxiety has set in. if you are with "new-ish" people and i leave the room you start to cry. while it's endearing to have you 'want' me it takes getting used to for me. i like when you like other people. after warming up you seem to do ok. i try to comfort you when needed. it's even started a little when you play alone and realize i'm in the other room. 

when you do play by yourself i seriously feel like i have a little girl and not a baby. you sit there and 'play with your toys' like toddlers do. the more your personality comes out the crazier it feels and the more time flies. i do love it though. i'm still okay with you growing up and the speed it's taking. i LOVE seeing you flourish and do not want you to be littler again! so far 7-8m is my favorite stage. it keeps getting better - right?!!

having older cousins is fun! i think you would agree - josie and hazel are just so fun for you to watch. you follow pockets every move and want to do what she does. you think dalia is a toy and i really don't let you too close in fear that you will try to palm her. when it comes to people your own size (cousin sarah) you sort of ignore them and are not sure what to make of their similar babble.

you love to smile at people. it may take a minute, but you flash those 2 new chompers and raise those eyebrows and they are won over. before you were stingier with smiles. tables have turned folks, you liked to be doted on... the nail salon, grocery, coffee shop... people eat it up when you react to them.

although you seem to like all people who smile and talk to you, you have 2 main men:

Dada and PawPaw.

Pawpaw watches you 2x a week and you have him wrapped around not just a finger, but probably your whole hand. you guys are buddies and he gets down and plays with you and is very in tune to your wants.

You have taken a serious loving for Dada. when he is in the room or passing by your head bops up and you give him such a cheese-fest smile. you are very interested in what Dada is doing and want him to talk and play with you. your snuggles are becoming more equal with Moma and Dada. you fell asleep on him a few times and I.LOVE.IT.

i have no stats for you except you are a chunk and we call you Brutus! you are about 19.5 lbs unofficially and i love every roll and crease in my Michelin Woman! Your tear duct corrected itself! you turned 7m and boom. it never came back - so no annoying crusted eyes and no surgery in the future!!

Even with this being more than 1 month's worth of an update i still feel like it would be lengthy regardless due to the high frequency of your growing and changing.

stella, you are my favorite bird. you are so fun (even when you are not!)

someday you will know how much i love you. 

you are the perfect bird for me.

moma