8 months old!

Blake turned 8-months-old on Christmas day. This past month has flown by, thanks to all the things our little "Blakester" has been up to, plus the busyness this time of year brings on top of it all! I LOVE this age, and it being Christmas-time made it so much fun!!

We do not have official stats, but due to a lot of trips to the pediatrician since Thanksgiving (more on that later), we know he is still BIG (over 25 lbs. and 32 inches long, I think; hard to measure a wiggle worm)! Don't expect to see any changes to his big stats until he starts to become more active :-)

Seriously so cute!

 Having a little one during the holidays just makes it that much more special. Blake was sure to get into the festive spirit! Oh to see the world through a child's eyes...

And, as predicted, he LOVED his new toys/etc., but especially loved the wrapping paper :-) 

Things I want to remember about him at this age:

• We cannot keep socks on him (unless we have shoes on him)! He is constantly taking them off to play with them or put them in his mouth-Yuck! We have lost a mate or two, so Santa brought him more! And there's something about his left shoe not staying on as well :-)
• When he is tired, he has started humming himself to sleep. Jameston did that as well.
• He is teething again on the top, so when he has a mouthful of food, he has started to blow raspberries on his hands (which can be messy)!
• His hair is getting lighter, and he has the rosiest cheeks especially after he wakes up
• Blake is grabbing at our faces, especially Mommy's when he's nursing. 
• He's got a grip on him and at the stage where I will not dare to long necklaces or hoop earrings, for fear that he will pull at them. And my hair if up most days!
• Hope to be able to forget this one soon: He has had the propensity to want to poop in the tub lately. Fun stuff.
• Another one that could go on the "want to forget" list: he has started to bite Mommy when he's nursing. Dern teeth. I will say "No, Blake" sternly. And he realizes he did something wrong. Let's hope this is short-lived!
• He still loves Peek-a-boo and to be tickled (and really does some great belly laughs then and when having his teeth brushed) and sticks his tongue out when he smiles really big
• He's now in the convertible seat! Long overdue, maybe I was just in denial :-)

New favorites this past month:

• His soft stacker and prayer bear

• Books! But he wants to grab the one you are reading to him, so we have to have another one handy for distraction :-)
• Anything he can pat on or bang with, such as his highchair tray or xylophone stick. Loud like his brother!

• The swing! Blake LOVES the outdoors like all boys do, so we ventured to the park on the unseasonably warm Fall days. Love this picture!

• Boomer, our dog: Blake and Boomer seem to have their own secret language. So sweet! 

• Anything wooden to chew on. And Daddy's wooden blocks from when he was little are a hit! Santa brought him a Melissa and Doug Wiggling (wooden) Worm for Christmas to add to his collection, seen in the above pic

His bottom two teeth broke through right at the end of November, and he is proud to show them off!

And, not surprisingly, the boy still likes his nightly baths!

Also, I cannot get over how much hair this kid has compared to his older brother. Crazy different!

Now on to his schedule. YES, I feel like we FINALLY have somewhat of a schedule at 8 months (things have been more baby-led this time around since I haven't been as adamant about a schedule with an older one to tend to :-)   Sleeping: He goes to bed between 7 and 8 on most nights and usually makes it until 5 or 6. Then he will go back down for another hour or two, so he's getting a solid 12+ hours. He is pretty much a two-naps-a-day baby now (not a daycare; the boy doesn't nap well there AT ALL), one around 10  and another around 3 or 3:30. No more overlapping naps for this momma!  Eating: He is nursing 4-5 times a day, or taking 7-8 ounce bottles when at daycare, usually every 4 hours. Eating two to three meals a day, and with snacks here and there (mum-mums, puffs and yogurt melts)

The big change is that he is OVER pureed/mashed food, and Mommy has a bunch in the freezer :-( This boy wants to feed himself! So, steamed veggies and soft fruit pieces it has been lately (he REALLy likes carrots). And the boy loves bread, he is my son after all!

Developmentally, Blake:

• Is still rolling everywhere, but he will perch up and somewhat paddle his way to something if he really wants it
• Has gone from sitting to tummy two times
• Loves to stand and will wobbily hold on to things; he may walk before he crawls!
• Definitely has got the passing things back and forth, dropping, etc. down. Clapping, kicking, and banging, as I mentioned earlier. A mover and a shaker!
• Has started "dancing" when he hears music. Sometimes, not every time. But it is SO CUTE. I need to have the video camera in my pocket!
• Has added "yaya" and "mama" to his babbling vocab. I am starting to use more Sign Language with him, we'll see if he takes to it more than Jameston did.
• He also has the "t," "s" and "th" sounds down, thanks to his new teeth. Oh, and he is doing the shrieking yell a lot more than we would prefer!
• He started waving to us on Christmas, the day he turned 8-months-old. LOVE!

• And he JUST started clapping! Haven't videoed it yet, but I will post soon (hopefully)!

Our Poor Blakey has been sick over the past month or so. He is on ear infection number 4 (or 5, they have sort of run together tat this point) since October, plus his top teeth are coming in, plus he contracted a virus the second weekend of December after our trip to see family in Austin. On the 27th he was diagnosed with RSV after we noticed worsening cold-like symptoms that started on Christmas Eve. They even did a chest x-ray to rule out pneumonia. Thank God it wasn't that! Breathing treatments, bulb syringes and saline drops, and antibiotics have become staples around here. Poor fella :-( We are trying a different (third) antibiotic, and if his ears do not clear up, he will most likely get tubes. At the last appointment, they also did blood work to rule out a bacterial infection, when they found out his is borderline anemic. So mommy's gotta up our iron intake! It is so hard when they are little and sick. But we are so blessed to have great doctors (whom I hope we see less in the next several months)!

Because he is not feeling his best, Blake has been a Momma's boy, reaching up for me when I am near and crying when I leave his line of sight (object permanence). He's also a Daddy's boy in that he is ENAMORED with him and will watch him like a hawk!

Blake showing off his new waving skills. I've yet to video his clapping (that is more like karate chopping)..

We love you, Blake, and hope you feel better really soon! You are such a joy and always (even when sick) in great spirits and willing to flash that big smile. Can't wait to see what month nine has in store for you (and us)!

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