"8 Months"....

Ellison, you are 8 months old this month. You are technically supposed to still be an "infant", but you are growing so quickly! I am trying my best to hang on to infancy as long as you will let me. Your personality has emerged this month like a butterfly emerging from a cocoon, and you, so much like your Aunt Elliot (who was nicknamed, "Butterfly Baby" as a little girl), are indeed a free spirit! You are full of life, zest, curiosity, laughter, smiles and speed! You are an enthusiastic little girl with a radiant smile and eyes that stop traffic. Everywhere I take you, I get stopped multiple times with people commenting on your "red hair, huge blue eyes, and happiness".  Your curiosity exceeds anything that I have ever seen - you want to know everything about everything!  You are fearless and you are FAST,  and I am learning that I have to be one step ahead of you in most things.  If there is something to be put in your mouth, you will do it. I have already fished out a lump of coal from the fireplace, begonia leaves and flowers, grass, tape, door stoppers, and pillow stuffing from your sweet little mouth - and have panicked every, single time!!!  You have a certain look on your face when you have something in your mouth, so I am beginning to recognize "the look" now.  You are quite different from your big brother in this area. He really wasn't interested in putting things in his mouth. You are cruising all over the room now holding onto furniture. It won't be long before you turn loose and take off. You have 6 teeth now and are working on your 7th one - they are coming so fast. Since so many of your teeth have come in, you have started eating much more table food - and so far, I have found nothing that you will not eat! You LOVE to eat and you can't shovel it in your mouth fast enough. You are still nursing too, which continues to go well. You do not like to be cradled like a baby when you are falling asleep, but much prefer to be up on my shoulder where you can bury your head in my neck. When it is naptime or bedtime, all I have to do it put your "lovie" on my shoulder, give you your paci and your put your head right down on my shoulder. That's your cue to know that it is rest time. When you laugh, you throw your entire head and neck backwards, wrinkle up your nose, and show your teeth - it is so precious. We always try to make you laugh just so we can see it! You miss your big brother when he is at school, and are elated when we pick him up. You are both so happy to see each other and that makes me so happy too. You want to be everywhere he is, and anytime you hear his voice, you immediately start looking for him and waiting in expectation for him to come into the room. You are still not a fan of getting dressed or getting your diaper changed.  I have about decided that you just don't want to be restrained. We remembered that you resisted your swaddle blanket as well as a tiny baby, so I am really not surprised. It is your "free spirit" I guess! You love the piano, and are already showing so much interest in it. You will sit on my lap all day and play - you love to play the keyboard upstairs in the playroom too. You love to clap your hands and shake egg shakers. You can say "Mama" and "Da". You understand commands like, "sit on your bottom", "no touch", "more please", "up", "clap your hands", "pat your hands", and "give love". You will give Elijah Brooks love every single time I say, "give brother love" by leaning your head into him and snuggling with him - it is precious. He loves it, and you love it. You love, love, love when Daddy comes home from work! It melts his heart every day. You love the cats - maybe alittle too much sometimes :)  You enjoy being outside and going for walks in the neighborhood - you love a change of scenery. You are skipping clothes sizes just like your brother did - you are currently wearing 12-18 month clothes - yep, big, tall girl!!  Oh, and you have completely outgrown your reflux now and have been off your medicine for nearly 2 months!  That is good news to end on!

In the mouth!

Contemplating putting flower in mouth :) 

We love you so much sweet girl, and thank God that you are such a healthy and happy child.