Journey to the Knot: Eight is Great!

Eight months old, and we have less of an infant and more of a little boy! Banner is ALL OVER THE PLACE! He is one mobile little kid, and he has mastered so many new skills. Only a couple days after my last update, Banner became a speed crawler! Put him down, and he's literally right behind you, keeping up with even his Daddy's strides. "Be careful," is a commonly heard phrase in our house, not only to Banner but to Sam and me, as we remind each other how vulnerable Banner is now - to being stepped on, to picking up any random piece of dirt or misplaced unsafe item, to slipping on hard floors, and to any number of other accidents as he's crawling, pulling up, and cruising around... yes, cruising around! He's pulling up on anything and everything - coffee table, my legs, bookshelves, crib, toy organizer/rack, outer side of the Exersaucer (one of the more potentially dangerous items as it pivots when he uses it for leverage), the bathtub ledge, walls, chairs, couches, and (his favorite) boxes. In the past week or so, his favorite thing to do is to drop an item while he stands propped up then lean down to grab it without falling. He's mastered "taking a knee" and "lunging," and he's starting to climb up on whatever is around.

Although we are baby-proofed, we're only as safe as Sam and I remember to keep things. No more leaving our beverages out on the coffee table, no more forgetting to put the nail clippers away, no more dropping a morsel of food and waiting to pick it up later, no more trusting that bottom shelf items will be kept safe from Banner's hands or that he'll be safe from whatever danger they may bring to him, no more leaving the dishwasher unlocked or slightly open.... it's exhausting! :) I knew it was coming, just didn't think it would get here so quickly. He was mobile before he was 7 months, and by his 7-month birthday, he was a true crawler. Within a week after crawling, he was pulling up on whatever he crawled to. I'm really proud of him, but I kind of miss that sitting stage... or at least my control-freak, worried part of me does! Since Banner's been on the move, he's really learning what it feels like to bump his head - sometimes on purpose, but more often on accident. He's even had a bloody nose when he slipped and his nose met the kitchen floor. (Scarier for me than for him, I'm sure!) But, he's been a trooper, and he's a fast learner... now he falls more gracefully, and I see him attempting to catch himself or brace himself or even protect himself better now.

In other news, he's waving "bye-bye" and sometimes "hello." He's babbling more - lots of "dadada," "bababa," "yayaya," and "mamama." We've heard a few "na" and "ka" sounds but not often. He's giving kisses when we're especially lucky!! (MY FAVORITE!!) He's making all kinds of "raspberry" sounds and experimenting with his lips, mouth, and vocal chords, and yes, he's still growling on a daily basis. He's napping much better these days, and he's sleeping 11-12 hours with 0-1 interruptions per night. He's gotten very good at putting himself to sleep. Because Banner napped well for Grandma before he did for Sam and me, I've copied her routine, and now he's so much more successful at napping when in his crib at home. Thank you, Grandma!!!

Speaking of Grandma, (this really could be an entirely separate post on its own!) Banner is in great hands each work day when he's with her. He is really thriving there, and if I have to be at work and not with my baby, I'm so thankful/grateful/appreciative/blessed that he gets to spend his days with her. Each workday, we back out of the garage and call Grandma to let her know we are on our way. Then, when we walk in to her house, Banner is all smiles. He loves the songs she sings to him and the places she takes him. She does fun things with him (like playing outside or having picnics) and teaches him new tricks (like somersaults!) and she often tells him about Bubbie before naptime. (In fact, Banner typically falls asleep to the same song each nap time - to the song Grandma calls "Bubbie's Song" which is really "Somewhere Out There.") Thank you, Mom, for everything you are doing to help keep my baby boy so happy, so healthy, so smart, so safe, and so loved!!

Physically, Banner is growing taller and leaner. He's probably around 20 pounds, but that's a guess based on our recent clothed weighings on our scale that only measures in half pounds. His hair is getting longer and becoming wavy/curly. It also seems to be getting lighter. His eyes are still a beautiful blue and are lined with long curled eyelashes. He still has no teeth, but we are checking for his bottom left tooth on a daily basis as the mound of gum there continues to show signs that a tooth is SO close to making an appearance. Every day I feel like a kid on Christmas morning, looking to see if Santa came. I've been so giddy with excitement waiting for that pearly white to pop up, but still nothing.

Our schedule is still pretty much the same: Banner wakes up between 6 and 7am, has a bottle, Prevacid, and oatmeal. He's up for about 2 hours, and then he'll sleep usually between 1-2 hours. He has another bottle around 11 (or 10 if he got up much earlier than 7). He'll usually nap again in the early afternoon, and he'll have another bottle between 2-3pm. He may or may not take another short nap in the late afternoon, and dinner is served (usually barley or rice and a fruit and veggie) around 5:30. Bedtime routine starts no later than 6:45 with a relaxing bath, and Sam gives Banner his fourth bottle around 7:00. He's mostly drinking about 7 ounces in each bottle - sometimes less these days. He'd MUCH rather eat the solids or finger foods - bagels are a favorite.

Many of the things I once said about my newborn are true about my little boy today. Banner loves music, he loves deep hugs, and he's extremely strong. He still loves to eat, although not as ravenously as he did with those early bottles. At this point, every food we've offered (including peas, now) has been well received. Banner also continues to meet milestones on his own terms, when he's ready, with little probing from anyone. While we all (Sam, me, and Grandma) encourage the new skills, no one is pushing him to reach them, and he rarely stays in one developmental stage for long - once he's mastered a skill, he's already working on the next one! Sometimes I want to just tell him, "Banner, slow down! Just enjoy sitting/crawling/rolling over/whatever! There's no rush, no hurry! Just enjoy being a baby!"

Each day, I love my sweet angel more and more... hard to believe that I could love him any more, but I fall more and more in love with the person he is becoming and who I'm getting to know better each day! I really LIKE this kid, too! He's got a great personality, such a fun sense of humor, and is so affectionate. He's smart, quick, and strong. He's so loveable! He's got the most gorgeous eyes, and his smile brightens everything inside of me! I still tear-up as I say goodnight to him - almost nightly - because I am so happy, so in love, so proud, and so in awe of my boy. It's an overwhelming feeling that brings me to tears, that makes me love my husband even more, that makes me believe in God even more, and that makes me deeply grateful for every single day of the past 8 months!