News from the White House: Sophia is 8 months!

Sophie baby!

Your momma suuuuure does love you! You're getting bigger every day, right before my eyes. People will comment how much you've grown, and it's then that I remember to stop and think back to how you've changed so much from the newborn days. You still fit in my arms in the glider, but now instead of a squirmy bundle you're an independent baby.

When I do rock you, your feet and legs have to squish and bend to fit in the chair with me :(

You now have 5 teeth. Your top "lateral incisors" aka canines, and three on the bottom middle. I'm sure you'll add the matching 4th soon for a total of 6.

In the last month, you've really started to eat solids well. Before I was basically coaxing you into it. Now, you (mostly) eat around 1/8 to 1/4 a cup per meal and open your mouth when the spoon comes your way.

For breakfast you're now having a bottle, yogurt and applesauce. Lunch is broccoli and carrots. Dinner is usually something from our plates plus some pureed veggies. Today I gave you the mesh teether with a banana in it. You chewed it some then enjoyed banging it on your tray. Your favorite "baby" foods are broccoli and cinnamon applesauce. So far you've had sweet potatoes, avocado, broccoli, peas, carrots, applesauce, yogurt, saltines, bananas, green beans, and a host of other bites off our plates. I generally try to give you some of what we're eating at dinnertime. So you've also tried zucchini, black beans, grits, mushrooms, pizza crust, corn, baked potato, rice, roast and chicken.

I was sitting on the floor with you eating a spoonful of peanut butter, and without thinking gave you the spoon to lick. I was terrified for a moment once I realized I'd given you the "most likely to give your kid allergies or anaphylactic shock" food. Thankfully you had no adverse effects. I don't think you are going to have any food allergies.

You are very close to crawling. I both want you to and don't. I want you to because it will make you happy. I can tell you really want to take off. For now you're belly/army crawling. I don't want you to because it means you'll be into everything, which will make more work for mommy. It will also mean you're getting bigger! I want you to grow, but maybe more slowly? :) I know I will miss the baby days even as I enjoy all the ones to come.

You are in 9 month clothes, and a few 12 month. Your MeMe bought you some onesies (for sleeping and playing) and I had her get 18 month in those because you are so long! Your foot is between a size 2 and 3 depending on the style and brand. But putting shoes and socks on you is pretty futile. You kick off the shoes and pull off the socks. So you're barefoot 99.9% of the time.

You babble a lot. Mamamama, dadadada, gagaga, heh, heee and lots of other sounds. You love to clap your hands. I've started signing to you at meal times and I hope you'll catch on. I'm also loosely trying to teach you to wave.

Some of your favorite things are patty cake, being tossed in the air, riding on papa's shoulders and playing in the dogs water bowls.

You have been taking 3 naps a day but I'm now experimenting with switching to 2 longer ones. I think this will work out better. You still get 4 8oz bottles a day and solids 3 times a day.

We see a new pediatrician September 3rd and I'll have your official height and weight. Last time I checked you were almost 18.5 pounds and I'm guessing you're close to 30 inches.

Your old pediatrician quit practicing for now :( We were really sad about that. I hope we'll like the new one just as much.

Photos from 6-8 months