Eight Months of Cora

I started this post before the holidays, just after Cora turned 8 months old.  Needless to say, I am just posting it, but it might read like it was written earlier than now - because it was!  A little side note - Cora is actually eight months and three weeks old, or thirty-seven weeks old, now.  That is how long I was pregnant, and I can't believe how quickly this time with her has gone!  

Cora, you are a whole eight months old and perfect.  This month,  you continue to be so fun, sweet, and adorable.  Heading into this holiday season is extra exciting, knowing you are intrigued by everything around you. One of the biggest changes in you this past month is your awareness.  You know who is around you, who is holding you, if someone leaves the room, etc.  It is so cute to see you reaching for people, especially if it's me :).  You also went through the cuddliest of stages this and last month, preferring to be rocked fully to sleep.  However, you've recently reverted to the newborn you - where you can be rocked fully to sleep but always wake up and go through your own going-to-sleep process.  I enjoyed you being super cuddly at the beginning of this month.

I'm sure this next statement will make me laugh upon later reflection, but all of the sudden you are into everything!  If it's in your reach, it's to be yours.  You are learning about everything and just so curious.  You are content to sit and play for long periods of time.  You will actual get angry and throw a "fit," if something you're playing with is taken away from you (the remote, for example).  Toys are your discovery tools, and we truly enjoy watching you and playing with you, too.  It was hilarious this month, when I watched you go down your first slide.  It was a huge inflatable slide at your cousin Scarlett's fifth birthday party.  You didn't know what to think.  You did start to enjoy a little fake dropping and other adrenaline pumping activities, though.  I hope you love those types of fun things in the future.

Again this month we've watched as you've become more and more you, and I mean it, when I say you're perfect.  Seeing you grow and change this month has reminded me of the innocence of children.  You are unaware of anything negative in the world, of any modesty/self consciousness that comes with age.  And, I love, love, love seeing that in you.  I have such an important and amazing job in being your mother and helping you to keep that innocence in all of the right ways.  You make being a mother so special.

This Month's Stats

Weight: 17lbs 11oz at a doctor's visit just past the eight month mark
Height:  unknown
Diapers: size 3 
Clothes: 9 months

All About You:

Hair: more and more everyday - blond? :)
Eyes: Blue

-Your sleeping pattern is still the similar to last month's.  You go to sleep between 7 and 8 each night.  On weekends, when you can sleep as late as you please, you sleep until 7:30 now!  You've had a ridiculous amount of congestion and coughing that definitely interferes with your "sleeping through the night" sometimes.  I'm not going to lie, though, holding you upright so you can sleep, on those rare occasions, is a pleasure not a pain.  You take good naps, an hour in the morning and around two hours in the afternoon.  

-It's official - you eat solids regularly.  You are a little eating monster, who must have her solids or gets too hungry to function properly.  It's usually a yogurt or flavored oatmeal for breakfast and a vegetable and fruit mixed with rice cereal for lunch and dinner.  You also still have 6-7ounce bottles five times a day.

-Oh, you wish you could crawl.  It's not so much that you actually want to do the moving yourself, but you want to be able to get to anything you desire.  You don't rock back and forth, yet, but you move from sitting to your stomach to reach things.  I bet I will have more to say on this topic next month.  Otherwise, your movement changes this month has been that you sit up completely on your own, no pillows necessary.  You can hang on for a minute, if I stand you up to hold on to the couch or table.  You also are really reaching your arms toward people to hold you more than ever.

Sounds are pretty similar to the past months - with lots of laughing, squealing, talking, and crying.  You are louder every day!

-Some dislikes you have would include having your nose wiped, being in a room alone (sometimes), having things taken away from you, gross tasting medicine, getting woken up abruptly, and you even sometimes get mad when someone you don't know walks by or looks at you.  You enjoy so much, but a few likes worth mentioning are your daddy's belly blows, when we pretend to eat your hands, your dog, your grandmothers, kisses, and songs.

-Toys, as I mentioned above, are your ultimate pleasure and mode of discovery right now.  You are beginning to do all sorts of things with toys on your own.  Turning pages in books, opening and closing little doors, clacking things together to make delightful noises that please you very much, and all sorts of things.  It is so sweet to read to you.  You really love books!  I hope that continues.  You are into music.  You recognize when we sing songs over and over to you, and you give the cutest smiles.

We love everything about you Cora Kaye!!