Micah: Eight Months

Dear Micah,

I sit here on the eve of your eight month birthday in your Pottery Barn Kids chair, and I am again thinking, How are you eight months old? This will be standard practice until the day I die, I'm sure.

This stage is fun. HARD. But fun. When I say hard, I mean for all of us! You have accomplished so many milestones from 7-8 months that I can't believe it's only been over the course of a month. You have two teeth, you crawl like a champ, you pull yourself up to standing, you say 'babababa', and who knows what else I'm missing. We can't leave you alone for two seconds. NOT TWO SECONDS. You will hurt yourself. You just will. You will fall into something, eat something, break something. You're so fast. Tonight you spent some time chomping on celery, throwing around DVDs, and hitting your cheek hard on a large decorative vase. You're wearing us out, and it's just the beginning.

Tonight I was watching you navigate through your toys and it just amazes me how much you know. You know where the music is coming from when I play your Leap Frog house, you know that the circular shapes go on that wooden rod, you know how to open the sliding glass door. YOU KNOW HOW TO OPEN A DOOR. I'm serious. Now I'm scared.

Everyday is something new, something fun, and something amazing to watch. You are a special little (high needs) guy, who still hasn't quite mastered sleep and whose mom isn't quite ready to stop feeding you at least once a night. I wouldn't be sleeping that much either if I were going through all these changes. You'll get it. We'll get there. In the meantime I'll watch your big grin, so happy with the world and the attention, so happy when we sing "The Wheels on the Bus", your little language you speak to the dogs, and your screams of joy.

We may need to start investing in some bigger pants. It's always an adventure to see what you're wearing when I come home, and your pants are getting a little shorter ;) You wear between 9-12 month stuff, mostly the latter. Although you have a few 18 month stuff that you can fit into. I think you're about 20 pounds and probably pushing 30 inches, although that's a very loose guess. We'll go back in March for you 9-month appointment. You've been eating (obviously) like a champ. On the menu lately: spinach, blueberries, zucchini, lots of bananas and avocados, melon, sweet potatoes, green beans, the usual. You haven't met a food you don't like :) You are still nursing but we've also had to give you formula. I just haven't been able to pump what you need. I'm okay with it, because stressing about it was not helping.

We have a lot of changes coming up soon and hopefully we don't throw you off too much, but know in the long run they are for the best.

We are so proud to be your mama and dada.

moving on up

We had our inspection on Valentine's Day and I would say it went pretty well, considering the age of the house. There's an electrical issue we need to take care of ASAP, but other than that we could probably do the majority of the things by ourselves. So that is good news! I've still been hesitant to really say anything to anyone (read: Facebook!) about moving because it still seems sort of weird. We're moving from a brand new (4 year old) house to an ooooolllld home. Part of me is really exited and part of me is sad to leave the place where we brought Micah home. Part of me is really happy to be able to redecorate and renovate and part of me is terrified it'll never get done! And then I have this fear that something will happen where we won't be able to close, just because of the nature of the sale. Ahhh! But assuming everything goes well, we close in less than a month.

Ugh.

That means packing. I. hate. packing. I can barely cook dinner with Micah being such a special, high needs baby (:)) so I can't even imagine finding time to pack up our house. I have a feeling a lot of things will get thrown in the garbage. Hopefully this weekend we can start looking at what we can sell / get rid of. And then I have to pick out floors and paint and wow, it all feels overwhelming. Oh and money. Yikes.

Anyway, that's what happening over here! Micah's sister tooth popped in and wouldn't you know it he slept 1,000 times better last night. Micah's new foods lately have included melon, zucchini, and mango. I really need to figure out how to start feeding him actual meals besides mashing a banana into everything. But again, I need some more time.

Is it summer ye?

too much growing up

So much has been happening over here I don't even know where to begin! 

Micah is growing up entirely too fast. This month, he's sprouting a tooth (and its sister), he's crawling like mad, he's pulling himself up on things and standing (including doing this in the crib), oh, and not sleeping (big surprise there!). Slow down there big boy! I have a feeling we're going to have our hands full(er) pretty soon. 

Speaking of growing up, the Grammy's, American Music Awards, and pretty much anything music related were my favorite things to watch growing up. I always taped them and would watch them throughout the year until the next award show. Weird, right? I actually wanted to watch them last night, but between baby food making, adult food making, putting Micah to bed, and getting ready for the week I wasn't able to. What I did do was keep up with the show via social media. So much different from just a few years ago. I mean, I'd catch up on who won what in the newspaper (what's that?) the next day. Now I can read tweets as things are happening. Awesome/sad, I can't decide.

We are currently in the inspection period of our new home, which means if all goes well in the inspection tomorrow, we'll be moving in the middle of March. It's sort of weird to be going from a brand new house to an old home that needs updating. I'm excited about being able to renovate and update things but a little overwhelmed at the same time. I did get some inspiration from the Willo Home Tour yesterday. We originally started looking here for homes when we decided on moving from our current home. While we could probably afford to live there (in some, not all of the homes), one of the drawbacks was that many of these homes only have two bedrooms and one bath, and one of the reasons for moving was to have a lower house payment in a home that actually has value in its location (which Willo definitely does, but a little small for our brood). 

I'm currently starting week 4 of my Team Beachbody program! I'm so proud for having stuck with it for so long! While I've indulged in a little more sugar, most of my meals have been real food (creme brulee is clean eating, right?) and I haven't really been mindlessly snacking, except on clementines. I think I've lost a few pounds, but really I am looking to tone up for the most part and lose a few inches. I'm already fitting back into pre-pre-pregnancy clothes. Yay! 

This week we have conferences which means a few half days. Double yay!

micah crawls

Micah went from pushing himself up on all fours, to scooting backward, to downward dog, to scooting forward, to slow crawls, and now real big boy crawls! Don't mind the obnoxious parents in the background.

what micah's been up to

Apparently when you turn 7 months, big things happen.

Micah's been crawling around like a crazy man. While it's not perfected, it's enough to get across the room quickly. And that's scary. He also has been holding himself up, standing, for a long period of time. Slow down, Micah!

Yesterday, my mother-in-law pointed out that he had a tooth coming in. Well this had to have happened in the last 24 hours (I always have my fingers up in his gums) and I indeed felt a little jagged tooth. It's hard to actually see. How long does an actual tooth take to come in?

When I sing something he doesn't like, he shows me his distaste my spitting and blowing raspberries. Nice.

And he now moves around too much for the phone camera:

But he's so handsome:

micah: seven months

Dear Micah,

Today you are 7 months old. Every month I go, "Wow, I can't believe he's ___ months old." This month is no exception.

Despite having bronchiolitis and an ear infection this past week, you continue to smile and go on with your days, most of the time happy as a clam. In most of your pictures, though, your standard pose is staring at the camera. Sometimes it's hard to get a picture of you smiling!

You don't have any teeth yet, but your bottom gums feel a little swollen, so maybe they're coming (haven't you been teething for months now?!). You want to crawl so badly but are still stuck in that push up position, rocking back and forth. You can move one knee a bit. After a while you get frustrated and face plant into the ground :)

Trust me, though. We are in no hurry for you to be crawling around this house, yikes!

Of course you love food. Who doesn't in this family? I'm still making about 95% of your baby food, using Earth's Best jarred in a rut or when out and about. New foods include pears, apples, butternut squash, and as of today, broccoli. You still love your bananas, and can eat a whole one in a sitting.

One thing we've been sure to be doing is eating together at the table. I want it to be a lifelong habit, and no better time to get started than when you're a baby.

You love screaming, making noises, when mom chases after you, talking to the dogs, my water bottle, sticking things in your mouth, my cell phone (basically anything you shouldn't have), walks, baths. You think everything is funny when we talk to you and you laugh when we laugh. I think you're a great baby, even if you are a little high needs at time. You don't like when Mom or Dad disappear from your view, though.

Sleep. Well, sleep is okay. I mean, I take what I can get and as much as I don't like waking up multiple times in the middle of the night, I know one day that will be gone, and one day you won't need me at 2 a.m., and one day I won't be able to nurse you back to sleep in a dark, peaceful room. So yes, sometimes I am sleep deprived, and yes sometimes it drives me crazy, but I cherish those moments and know they will be gone one day. I've been more lenient this week since you're sick and you actually have been doing okay. We will all get sleep one day, right? :)

I can't believe how close you are two being a one-year-old already. You have already taught us so much about life and we love you to the moon and back.

xoxo,
Mama