8 Months

8 Months

Date

August 16, 2012

Spencer had his picture taken in a swing in the park by our house for his 8 month photo. It was evening in May. No worries. It has been over 110 degrees every day for the past 9 days here. I didn't think there was any way we'd ever be able to get Elliott's picture in a swing. It was bumming me out. And then.....the heat wave broke. It was overcast all day and was "only" 93 degrees when we headed to the park. We thorougly disinfected the swing, but we did not have to ice it down first (we brought ice packs to do just that if needed!)

The official 8 month picture

 Weight/Size

Two weeks ago Elliott was 19 pounds and 27.5 inches.  Using our digital home scale he was 20 pounds tonight.  That was after a huge meal and with a diaper and clothes on.  I'd guess he's closer to about 19 pounds 10 ounces.  He's a chunk.

He is wearing 9 month clothes.  He fits in 12 month onesies, but they are roomy and long.  He is still in a size 3 diaper.

 Sleep

There has been definite improvement in this area.  Elliott slept through the night (9 pm to 5 am, nursed, then back to sleep until 8am) for the first time on July 22.  He is sleeping through the night probably 70% of the time.  I am still up with him every single night to rock him a little, but he usually goes back to sleep without nursing, which he had not been doing before.  We still like to get to him before he wakes up on his own.  If I can start nursing him while he is still asleep he’ll stay sleep.  If he wakes up on his own, forget it.  He’s up for the day.  He is definitely on a nap schedule now, just because Spencer is back in school.  His morning nap is around 10 and he sleeps anywhere from 15 minutes to 2 hours.  His afternoon nap is at 3.  Again.  Anywhere from 15 minutes to 2 hours.  The days he sleeps 15 minutes in the morning and 15 minutes in the afternoon are LOOOOOOOONG days.

Movement
Elliott is an official independent sitter.  And he’s good at it.  He is rolling around less, just because he spends more time sitting.  When he is laying down he likes to hold his own feet.  He can reach for toys and pass toys back and forth between his two hands.  He still enjoys standing, but does it less, just because he can sit and he enjoys that.   He still likes the jumperoo but has been jumping in it less.  He’s playing with the toys on it more.

Communication

He is definitely babbling.  I've heard reduplicated babbling (mamamama, babababa, etc) and variegated babbling (ma-mo-me, etc).  Elliott is also screeching, blowing spit bubbles, sucking air into his nose (which he thinks is hilarious) and laughing at the appropriate time.  He has also started sticking his tongue out and will laugh and then keep doing it when we laugh and reinforce it.

 

 

 

Sweet Remembrances

1) Elliott going to the mall and sitting in the stroller like a big boy.

2) Elliott finally sleeping through the night.

3) Taking a trip to Tucson for Elliott’s Baptism Completion Ceremony.

4) Going out for frozen yogurt.

5) Elliott’s weight check at 7.5 months and finding out he was in the 50^th Percentile.

6) Elliott becoming a champion sitter.

Food
Since last month Elliott has started on potato, apricot, zucchini, mango, chicken, beef and turkey.  One time I pureed a mixture of baked potato and steamed zucchini with a little coconut oil.  He scarfed it down and cried when it was done.  He usually eats a little bit of fruit for breakfast (just so he doesn’t feel left out- he gets mad when we eat and he doesn’t) and then a meal for lunch and dinner.   He loves drinking water.  He drinks out of an open cup and helps hold the cup with his hands.

He is nursing 6-7 times a day.  It's amazing how much more tolerable breast feeding is when you don't do it 12+ times a day and for 9-10 hours within 24 hours.  I'm a huge breast feeding advocate, but my goodness it can be hard when a baby is attached to you ALL. THE. TIME.

Mood
Elliott is our happy little guy.  He fusses, but rarely cries.

Medicine
Elliott is still taking Zantac for acid reflux, but he is down to one time a day instead of two.  He is still taking Vitamin D drops. 

Likes: Sitting, going places and people watching

Dislikes: Falling over and smacking his head/face, the heat my god the heat

I was afraid we might forget what Elliott looked like at 8 months:

And finally, the 8 month side by side comparison