8 months

To my little bunny...at eight months.

You are on the go, go, go! You figured out how to crawl a couple weeks ago. And of course, you are fascinated with door jams and wires and outlets. Oh my!

You love taking baths in the tub, but you hate getting toweled off.

You just started waving hello and goodbye.

 

For awhile, you would only let us feed you if you had a spoon in each hand...mama is very patient with you during meals. You're still figuring out how to drink water...that's something you let me help you with.

You're getting very good at picking up little pieces of food or puffs with your pointer and thumb...or you pick it up with one or the other.

I still love nursing you. And you still grasp your foot in one hand and kick it up in the air while you nurse and make all sorts of funny sounds. "Mumyumyumyumyumaaaaaahhhhhhuhuhuhuhyumyum." 

We celebrated your first Easter at Gram and Papa's. Your cousin Mary was happy to help you find your eggs.

You open your mouth wide when you give kisses. Today, when I asked for kisses, you bit me.

Everyday, you are just a joy to be around. I love you so so much, my baby.

7 months

To my little babushka...at seven months.

You have four teeth and you love to bite mama...when it hurts me and I react, you think it's hilarious.

You just started sleeping in your crib in your room...I miss you so much, but am sleeping so much better and so are you, but getting you to bed is another story...

When people meet you for the first time, they tell me or your daddy that you are the most beautiful baby. Many are particularly taken with those big brown eyes of yours. I agree, but I never know how to respond to this. "Thank you" is what usually comes to mind. You were born this way. You are beautiful. Your aunt always told me that YOU know you are beautiful...just don't let other people know that you know that. In other words, my darling, humility is a virtue.

On a side note, you get mistaken for a boy frequently. Perhaps this is because mama doesn't dress you in fru fru and bows. Both Daddy and I are not fans.

You can clap your hands!

Sofie has been your go-to toy since you were about four months. Monkey still lights up your face when he makes an appearance, though.

You don't like the bouncy swing I got for you. We've tried it several times...you just sit there, bend your legs up, and you kind of spin around slowly with a miserable look on your face.

It was the same situation with the swings at the park...you sat there...unamused. We'll try again when it gets a little warmer outside.

You scoot about...mostly backwards. You really don't seem to have an interest in crawling anymore. You prefer to stand. All you want to do is practice standing up and sitting back down and having mama guide you as you walk all around the house. ALL. THE. TIME.

You say "Dada" now! One time, when daddy was traveling for work, you woke up, looked over to his side of the bed (when you were sleeping in our bed) and said, "dada" and then looked over at me with the saddest face.

When you nurse, you make this sound like you are really enjoying it. "Mumyumyumyumyumaaaaaahhhhhhmumyumyumyum." And sometimes, you like to kick one foot up in the air and just hold your foot in your hand while you nurse. Sometimes, I can't help but laugh, which, of course, startles you (you don't like to be disturbed when you are nursing)...oh, Greta, you are developing quite the little personality. I love you.

6 months

I was going through photos of Greta when she was just a month or two old and began to feel a bit sad that she is no longer this tiny baby...sigh. She is becoming such a big girl so quickly. It's really quite amazing and beautiful to watch her grow and discover. Yet, I cried last night because I visited a friend's new baby yesterday and was looking at Greta as she fell asleep in my arms and started thinking, "You will never be this little again." It made me so happy and so sad at once. Jon cheered me up by saying that it will be such an amazing adventure for us to watch her grow up and become this amazing person.

She is amazing. And she will always be my baby. Here's to half a year, my love. The most wonderful six months thus far...with many more to look forward to.

^ Doesn't she look so much like me here?

To my baby girl...at six months.

You weigh 18 pounds and are 26 and 3/4 inches long! Still holding steady in the 80th percentile.

You now have three teeth! (that other top tooth will be making an appearance shortly, I'm sure.) Sigh...mama will miss that gummy smile of yours.

Mama made you your first meal...mango and banana compote. You did not like us to feed it to you. You preferred to feed yourself...I think you really just wanted to chew on the spoon though. You also tried some avocado puree. So far, so good, my little one.

You are definitely a summer baby. You do not like the cold or the snow. We are all anxiously awaiting spring around here after this brutal winter.

You have outgrown our bathroom sink and now take baths in the kitchen sink. (which you already seem too big for) Sometimes you splash and have fun and sometimes you are just too tired and cry...it makes me think that this whole bath before bed routine is a bunch of garbage because you enjoy it so much more when you are not so sleepy.

You say "Mama". Many say that you don't associate this word with me yet...but when I leave the room you say, "Mama" and when you are upset or tired, you say it, too...so, I think you know. You also say, "babababa" among other things.

You smile so much and are just so happy that those around you can't help but smile and be happy, too.

You have the sweetest yawn. You make this little sound like, "Ah yum," and open your mouth so wide when you yawn. 

You are so close to crawling! Lately, you get on your hands and knees and rock back and forth.

You grab anything and everything that is near you and proceed to put it in your mouth. Daddy was chopping vegetables for dinner and you took your "Sofie" toy and raked a celery stalk near you and grabbed it and put it in your mouth. You didn't seem to like the taste but continued to chew on it.

You have been sticking your tongue out a lot and playing with it and Daddy just thinks it's the bee's knees.

You smack your hand against your chest over and over and growl like you are a warrior preparing for battle.

You do this thing when you are playing your little piano sometimes where you rock your head back and forth like Ray Charles.

You have been shaking your fist and clenching your jaw shut and going "Oh ho ho ho!" Which Daddy assumes runs in my family because your grandpa did it and apparently, when I am upset, I do, too.

You get so excited every time you see Daddy that you will stop what you're doing and smile so big and hop up and down and wave your arms (in a seated position).

Oh, my baby. I love you and all that you do.