8 months!

I am a neglectful blogger.  I have little time to catch up on blogs and even less to write.  This blog is no longer an integral part of my healing or coping with my pregnancy with Carter.  But it is still an important place and a place I like to occasionally catalog the happenings in our lives.  Especially as the little ones change so fast.  So here is a little update and as always some photos to go along with our changing lives. 

Carter is 8 months old now! Somehow that seems so old.  Closer to his first birthday!  He is still a baby of course, but getting further away from baby things.  He is venturing into the world of motion. Just this week!  He has started crawling, while slowly, he can finally get certain things he really wants.  Before he was just rotating around in a seated position, but that didn't get him directly to an object.  Life will definitely be interesting with two in constant motion!

He babbles more now and when upset and looking for me will non stop repeat, 'mama mama.'  It seems directed towards me, but it is always so hard to tell with these early words.  How much of them actually mean something?  We have worked on a few baby signs and he has done pretty well with signing 'more' while eating.  He also started to make the clapping gesture.  He still loves to use his voice for screeching and yelling.  He can be pretty loud at times.

He is definitely a mama's boy (which I hear most boys are). He prefers me to hold him and loves his snuggles.  I am also the primary caregiver so that is part of it, but he is much more snuggly than Natalie ever was.  He still loves his baby food and hasn't really complained about most foods.  He is just a fast growing guy!  He is already in some 24 month pjs, but the majority of them are 18 months. Nursing is still going well, but he is waking up at night still.  This is when nursing is difficult because I truly don't know if he is hungry or just wants comfort.  This stage between 6-12 months is tough too when it comes to eating.  He is supposed to get milk as his primary food source, but also by eating baby food.  He doesn't nurse as much during the day, due to distractions and being busy. He goes to sleep fine on his own at night, but he consistently wakes up at 2:30am.  I'll feel better once he is just eating food, so I know he is truly satisfied.  Natalie just slept and never woke up in the middle of the night, so I never had to deal with this dilemma. Ugh, it is hard being a parent sometimes.  Knowing what the right thing to do is.

Carter has two little teeth popping through.  He has been a little more irritable, but nothing horrible.  Still lots of drool and more teeth on the horizon of course. 

Natalie is having a great time at preschool and loves going the three times a week. I love seeing the independence and confidence she is gaining and love the time with Carter.  He loves having the house to himself too!   She is fully potty trained, except for nights.  She uses the regular toilet and doesn't even use the stool anymore to get up.  So nice to just have one in diapers and see her so proud of her new found independence.  She still hasn't used a public bathroom (a little scared of all the sounds).  So that will be a big achievement once that happens.  She continues to learn the English language well and has become quite a conversationalist. There isn't much she can't communicate these days.  If she hears a word or phrase that I say that she doesn't know, she'll ask 'what did you say mama?'  She is getting very good at integrating new words that she learns.  It is amazing watching someone learn a new language.

Natalie and Carter continue their adorable relationship.  She can be a little aggressive at times, but in general is very good at sharing and taking care of him. He is gaining on her in terms of size, so it won't be long until he can fight back.

Really life is great. I still am in awe of my two beautiful children and that I finally am living the life I desperately was seeking just a year ago. Busy, hectic, some days I don't get a break, but amazing and fulfilling.  Can't wait to see what each month brings with their development and milestones.