Lillian Pace- 8 Months!

Dear Lily,

Another month, another post!  I can't get over how each month goes by faster than the last.  Month eight flew by with weekends out of town, sick days & lots of changes from you Miss Priss...I'm pretty sure you are a completely different child than you were a month ago.

Your personality continues amuse & amaze us!  It seems you are becoming a bit of a drama queen...which lets face it, it is expected, but I just thought this phase would come a little later down the road.  If you don't like something, then rest assure you let us know it :)  Thankfully these episodes are few and far between (well except when you yell after a meal because you're still hungry---even though you've eaten the equivalent to three jars of food!).  Overall, you've still got a sweet and laid-back demeanor.  You're fun, funny, inquisitive, alert, responsive, snuggly, active...OH and you love to give open mouth kisses! 

Separation anxiety reared its head in month eight.  While it warms my heart to know you want to be with me ALL THE TIME, it has been a struggle to find balance.  Dropping you off at school has become a challenge again...seeing you get so upset because I'm leaving is hard!  Also, if I leave you in the den to go to the kitchen, then you go completely bonkers...needless to say, there has been a lot more holding & playing together than housework or cooking this month :)  & I'm not complaining one bit!

Your developmental skills continued to grow this month---you started clapping by yourself (which is one of the cutest things we have ever seen!), transitioning from your tummy to a seated position without any help (this has caused some sleeping issues...more on that later), pulling up on just about anything, using the "pinchers" to pick up food, and doing a modified crawl backwards.  You've been busy, busy my dear girl :)  

Your vocabulary has also continued to change.  It is very easy to make out the different consonants you're constantly babbling...sounds with D's, M's, O's, B's are heard often around our house :)

Eating has remained roughly the same, although we've introduced more "pick-up" foods.  So far you've tried peaches, broccoli & puffs.  You definitely still prefer to be fed with a spoon, so that is how you get a majority of your calories, but I'm hopeful you'll warm up to solids more in the next couple of months.  Your appetite has increased this month (my little piggy!), so I've stopped trying to keep up with how much you're eating.  All I know is that you LOVE to eat :)  Along with food, you take three 6 oz bottles a day.

We went through a bit of a sleep challenge in the beginning of the month.  Not sure if it was teething, a growth spurt, or just the 8 month sleep monster that I've read about, but whatever it was, no one enjoyed it.  Your daddy & I decided to let you start crying it out, instead of going in to give you your paci at night.  It was tough the first couple of nights, but luckily you quickly adapted.  There were nights you'd still wake, but you easily put yourself back to sleep!  However, once you figured out you could sit up on your own, this changed the ballgame.  Now on the occasional night you wake, you instantly sit up, so mommy or daddy have to come in & lay you back down.  Normally this does the trick & you are back to sleeping like a baby until morning :)

You still love your naps at home, but refuse to take them at school!  On the weekends, you take two naps that range between 1 1/2 and 2 1/2 hours each.  

Lily, it has been a FUN month!  Can you believe how much you've changed and grown?!?  You are the biggest blessing & greatest joy :)  Every stage keeps getting better...can't wait to see what month 9 has in store!

Lily's 8 Month Stats:

Feed:

Three meals per day, plus three 6 oz bottles

Weight:

18 pounds

Length:

27 inches

Diaper Size:

Size 3

Clothing Size:

6 & 9 month

Hair:

Blonde & getting thicker :)

Eye Color:

Blue is still hanging around

Favorite time of the day:

Picking you up from school---love the smile you give when I walk thru the door

Funniest moment this month:

You finally gave me a big "surprise" while in the bathtub

***Note to self, for the next photo session, make sure to have an assistant & not take the pics right before nap time***