Month Eight? Where did it go?

Dear Keeley,

This month has held many ups and downs. Both you and I are fitting into our roles as baby and mama quite nicely now. Of course, you got your first cold this month. Wow. It made me appreciate the happy, content baby you usually are. You wanted to be held, but then you didn’t want to be held. You wanted to eat, but not THAT CEREAL. Or those sweet potatoes that were entirely too chunky for your sensitive palate. Honestly though, I felt so bad for you. I could tell you didn’t feel well. You could hardly breathe at times – no wonder it was hard to sleep. We finally wised up to use the humidifier in your room. You were like, “DUH, PARENTS.” I even took you to the doctor – though I was pretty sure it was just a cold. But, as a first time mom, I’m allowed to be extra cautious, right? You were fine. And, since people were using them to put their babies to sleep instead of for the correct reason, infant cold medicines were pulled from the shelves. Perfect timing. There was so little I could do for you to help you feel better. I did hold you as much as you wanted to be held. Although, you are usually much too busy to be held for too long.

Also this month, you got three more teeth. At one time. Yes, three. Yes, at one time. Once again, a reason for some fussiness. You now have eight teeth. Eight. I’m pretty sure that’s a lot for your age. Your father and I like to say you’re advanced, dentally. You like to use your teeth to chew on everything. The sides of your crib are all chewed up. That’s because you wake up and entertain yourself in your crib before you call out or start babbling and mama doesn’t know you’re awake yet. Love it. You just wake up and play and entertain yourself. Even when you do start making noises, it’s just to babble and talk to yourself. You just play and play, happy as a little clam. Then, when someone comes to get you? You’re even happier. You are just the best.

You have really mastered the art of using your thumb and index finger to pick up bits of food – and other things you find. (The Official Baby Instruction Books call that “the pincer grasp”.) One of your favorite things to do is feed yourself. Cheerios, pieces of banana, beans, macaroni, lint – all good things to you. You are still such a wonderful eater. You eat almost everything. I’ve been giving you chunkier foods and you aren’t too thrilled about it, but you eat it. I discovered how to make chicken and rice and since your father and I like it, I’ve thrown some in the food processor and gave some to you. You even spent a lunch time picking it up with your fingers, feeding it to yourself. Obviously, a family favorite.

You are such an interesting being. I love to watch you play. You get so interested in so many different things. Whenever I make the penguin toy sing “Ice Ice Baby” you start to bounce and clap your hands. How cute is that? I also think you’ve been saying “dada”. Not positive on that one, but you do say it and look right at him. So I’m inclined to think you know what you’re saying, but then you don’t do it all the time so who knows? I also think you say “mama”, but it’s when I’ve left you by yourself (just for a second – sheesh, mama needs to go to the potty!) and you stand at the safety gate and cry, “mama, mama.” At least that’s what it sounds like to me. AND I think (yes, I think) you say “ki” for kitty. Whenever you look for kitty, you go “ki, ki, ki” and I truly think you’re trying to say “kitty”.

Oh my, we’ve done so much – and I haven’t even talked about how you’ve started to give kisses. Big, open-mouth, wet, droobly kisses. And that’s one of my favorite things you do. Of course, you have to be in the right mood – but that goes without saying. Anyone who knows you knows that you do NOT do anything you’re not in the mood for. Seriously. Wherever do you get that from?

Love you, Mommy