Stats
Weight: 21 pounds according to our home scale
Length: 28 inches according to our {best} measurement
Likes:
-Exploring more & more and looking at objects from all angles
-Pressing switches to turn "lights on" & "lights off"
-Listening to us read books {although his attention span is short} and holding/chewing on them
-Sitting or standing, no more laying or holding him on his back {unless he's really sleepy, of course}
-Everything from his 6-Month and 7-Month posts
Dislikes:
-Mommy or Daddy leaving the room... separation anxiety is starting
-Being told "no"
-Being confined in the ExerSaucer/jumper/walker for too long {he would much rather be out & moving!}
New skills:
-Crawling!! {He's not efficient yet, but has started moving on his hands & knees!}
-Pulling up!! This makes him seem so grown.
-Flipping from the sitting position to crawling on his belly AND pushing up from crawling to sitting!
-Drinking water from a beginner sippy cup
-Giving a hi-five to Daddy!
-Sucking his thumb
-Sort of waving
-Babbling a lot
Clothes/Diapers:
For the first time ever (at 31 weeks old), I had to change Gabe's crib sheet in the middle of the night. His diaper leaked through his jammies twice, once his whole side was soaked from armpit to knee, then once just a small amount... He was peeing so much more than usual! No change from size 3 diapers. We can still squeeze him into some 6-month clothes (bottoms) but he's wearing mostly 9- or 12-month tops/onesies and sleep 'n plays.
Eating:
He is nursing about every 4 hours now. He has tried a few new pureed foods: avocado, apples, yellow squash. He liked them all, but his facial expressions with the avocado were entertaining :) I didn't mash it up smooth so the little chunks ended up being pushed out on his lips. At 34 weeks we let him eat a "cracker"! Last month we tried it but got scared when a piece broke off in his mouth because he was not yet showing signs of chewing. Now, he is able to eat small pieces as they quickly start to dissolve while he's figuring out what to do with his gums & tongue! A few days before & after his 8-month birthday he did not want to eat solids. We never could determine a reason, but weren't overly concerned because he was nursing fine. No teeth yet.
Sleeping:
Gabe's sleep schedule isn't consistent, but he continues to be ready for a morning nap ~2 hours (3 max) after waking up. I like that at least that is predictable! He naps for 1-2 1/2 hours twice a day. Sometimes he'll be up at 6:00am then go right back to sleep until 10:00am, other times he'll wake up for the day before 8:00am, usually after nursing around 3:00 or 4:00am. He is still waking up 1-3 times in the middle of the night. Most times he nurses well and goes back to sleep, but I think some of the times he just wants comforting from being held and barely nurses. I will probably start seeing if he can get himself back to sleep... Perry lowered his crib to the lowest setting on his 8-Month birthday. He is very good at pulling up to stand on anything he can reach, and we don't want him tumbling over the side of his crib! We also chose to put the bumpers back in- he is able to move well enough now that the risk of suffocation has decreased and he hits his head a lot!
Hair & Eyes:
This month I am convinced his eyes will be brown. His hair color hasn't changed much, still a medium brown color & fine. Perry gave him another trim (his 3rd).
Randoms:
-He was sick for the first time on Labor Day weekend. More on that scary time to be posted...
-His eczema is almost all gone! I only notice faint, small patches on his thighs after I bathe him. At its worst, I changed soap and lotion (from a fragrant, bedtime set to the basic, gentle Johnson's head-to-toe baby wash); that may have helped, but I think he just outgrew it. Yay!
-He says "Mama" a LOT! Be still, my heart ♥ He is working hard at saying the "d" sound for "Da da"
-Our coffee table is now in the attic for an undetermined length of time. It was glass. And dangerous. I rearranged the living room a little so the padded storage ottoman is now in front of the couch.
-This boy is ticklish! In the same spots as me, according to Perry.
-He gives the sweetest, drooly open-mouth kisses.
