Eight Months

We saw Elton John in concert last night - he was AMAZING.  Seriously.  He sang for 3 hours STRAIGHT.  He wore a purple ruffly blouse and sequined jacket with tails.  We Crocodile Rocked all night.  :)  Anyway, enough about me... This is about my little man, who had a big night - sleepover with Gigi and Bear - last night too.  Let's get to it:

Sam is 8 months old!

 ...and getting photos is a quite a... challenge.

Like Sam's shirt?  Stay tuned... Giveaway coming next week from Watching Me Grow.

Size: According to our scale last weekend, Sam weighs 21 pounds. *I don't think he lost weight since his 7 month post though, so I must have been a little off on my last estimate. It's funny because he is pretty "average" in terms of height and weight, but recently lots of people have been commenting on what a big baby he is.  I admit, he even looks kind-of gigantic to me next to some other babies we've met.  I don't know.  He must carry his weight well. ;) He wears 9 - 12 month clothes and size 4 diapers right now.  Where did my BABY go?

Development: Well, just when I was starting to think Sam might not ever sit - he just did.  He's a professional sitter now. I love watching him sit-up and interact... so fun.  I'm sorry for doubting you bud. He plays with toys and looks at EVERYTHING.  He is hardly ever still - wiggling and bouncing and rolling all.the.time.  I really thought he might be crawling by now (in fact, Jeff and I spent most of last weekend stalking him with the video app on our phones), but he is just teasing us.  He gets on all fours and rocks back and worth.  It won't be long... And we've got the cage baby gate ready to go for that magic moment. :)

Sam is also babbling up a storm and making lots of especially high pitched noises.  He laughs ALL the time and is beginning to enjoy "Peek a Boo" and any kind of game where Mom and Dad act like fools.  He still just has the two front teeth, but we just spotted a top one peeking through last night. I can't wait to see what he looks like when those suckers arrive. His legs are strong, but (luckily) he hasn't figured out that he could probably pull himself up to standing yet.

Personality: About 23 hours out of most days, Sam is very happy and easygoing.  The other hour, well, we can forgive it because of the 23 before it. ;) In all seriousness, he is a JOY right now... I think he is going to prove to be very active, funny, a little stubborn, and a BIG flirt.  I pretty much love everything about this age.

Likes: ADDY (he is obsessed with her), chewing (on anything), meal time, Miss Rita (his babysitter), bouncing, bath time, cuddling, reading, his feet, being naked, Mom's hair, Pandora lullaby station

Dislikes: Having his nose aspirated (we call him a little piggy because he is always snorting and snuffling), sitting still, going in his carseat, getting dressed, sleeping all night, staying up too late, nursing when there are other things going on

Eating: My boy loves his food - that's for sure!  I can't think of anything Sam won't eat right now. No matter WHAT it is, he just opens that little mouth wide and goes at it.  Usually he makes a funny face at first and then keeps coming back for more and more... So far he has tried: carrots, peas, sweet potatos, squash, limas, broccoli, bananas, pears, apples, apricots, peaches, applesauce, oatmeal, rice, yogurt, puffs, cheerios, and probably more that I can't remember right now.

Like last month, he is also on a pretty good bottle/nursing schedule.  He usually breastfeeds at least once during the night and first thing in the morning.  He has pumped milk two times a day and a bottle of formula before bed.  Most days, I estimate that he is eating between 30 and 35 ounces of milk in addition to breakfast and dinner.

In his new high chair from Ikea.  $50.00 and so far so good.

Sleeping: Not our strong suit.  I (well, Jeff & I) are mostly to blame... consistency and planning has been a major problem on the parenting front when it comes to sleep. One night I think he is "grown up" and I should let him cry, the next night I think he is starving/teething/cold/hot/etc. and absolutely MUST be nursed and comforted.  The result? A baby that wakes once, twice, or sometimes three times a night and a very tired mommy. In my mom-heart, I know this isn't what is best for our family; but, I'm still not 100% sure how I should "fix" things.  I'm getting there...  (For some more thoughts on this, check-out Lea's Medical Mondays post on Crying It Out.)

That little tush in the air gets me every time!

Thankfully, nap and bed times are becoming more consistent and easier. We can mostly count on a 9AM, 1PM, and 8PM sleep schedule.  The wake times are what vary.  Usually he takes one good (2 - 3 hours) nap a day and another for about an hour.  Night sleep is all over the place.  Let's hope I have a better report by 9 months.

Until next month, mom signing off.