Eight Months

Dear Nathan,

You know what I just realized? Eight months sounds awfully old. You're not exactly that little newborn baby anymore. But while I miss him, I love you so much more.
You have a great personality. The more I get to see of your personality, the more I like it. You are still a happy baby, and you're letting me capture more and more of your deliriously happy moments with the camera. In fact, sometimes I think you ham it up for the camera a bit. It makes for some great pictures and really shows everybody who reads the blog who you really are.

At the same time, you are completely sweet. You still love snuggling, almost as much as you love playing with your toys. And boy do you love your brother. It cracks me up to watch you with Patrick. You constantly reach for him, desperate to communicate to him how much you look up to him through a simple touch of his hand or his hair. His response? To push you away, sometimes kind of roughly. That doesn't change your feelings about him, though. If anything, it only makes you more eager to get him the next time.

You have also started picking up on his emotions. When he laughs, you do too. Sometimes you'll even laugh at things without him around that he has laughed at before. I think you're laughing because it must be funny since Patrick thinks so. Of course, the other side of the coin happens too. Some of your saddest cries, with the biggest crocodile tears, happen only because your brother is crying. At times like that, all I can do is sigh and smile that you're close enough to share emotions and not worry that both of my boys are crying like the world is ending.

This was also the month of the teeth, especially the last two weeks. You were sprouting a whole mouthful of them at once. As of now, you have three top teeth and one more slowpoke still waiting to make its way through the gums. This round of teething was certainly worse for both of us. You woke up lots at night needing comfort, which I was happy to provide, even when I could barely keep my eyes open. Still, you never had long crying spurts; you were just too uncomfortable to sleep. Now that they're in the past, I think I'll always fondly remember those long wakeful hours in the dead of night spent holding you in front of the TV while we waited on the latest round of medicine to take effect. And you have come out of the teething a still-sweet, toothy baby. You love showing off your new teeth with your huge grins.

Something else I can't forget to mention this month is your grabbiness. You have certainly figured out what those hands are for, and you are always using them to grab something. It's cute, but also kind of frustrating. I can't carry you around the house anymore while I'm carrying anything else, or else it will take everything I have to keep you in my arms as you reach as far as possible to grab what else I'm carrying. I think your favorite objects to grab are the remote control and my cell phone--proof you're your daddy's child. Considering how often these objects you grab end up in your mouth, I think you'll be ready to find foods you can feed yourself soon. I can't believe you could already be ready for that! Didn't you just start eating solid foods?

Your physical growth is starting to taper off, however. You still eat like crazy, but your metabolism must be speeding up or something (probably from all the squirming, kicking, and general moving you do) because you're not gaining weight as quickly as I would expect you to. In fact, I think at your nine-month check-up next month we will find that your weight is at a lower percentile than it has been in the past. I guess it's to be expected though; none of the rest of the family is of an average size, so eventually your growth would slow down too. At least you still have those adorable chunky thighs, though, even if the rest of you is looking a little more trim.

I'm afraid sometimes I spoil you, Nathan. I probably did the same with Patrick at this age, but I've forgotten by now. But how can I refuse anything you want, when you ask with that charming grin? I'd do anything for you, and happily. I just love you so much, more than I ever thought possible. You make my day when you look up at me and flash me that smile, and I know in that toothy moment that you love me just as much.

Love,

Mommy