{eight months} : 'without you, baby....'

Without you, baby...

...I'd sleep better at night...but then I wouldn't get to wake up to your smiling, drooling face in the morning, standing and peering over the crib rail.

...I'd be making some fabulous spending cash each week...but my "job" would not be as fulfilling as it is now.   So funny how I always prayed God would lead me to my "perfect career" and it turns out staying home with you is the perfect fit for me.

...the three inches under my belly button wouldn't be such a struggle...but then I wouldn't get to have you pounce on that belly and crawl all the way up to my face for a drooly kiss!

...things like poop, boogers, and vomit would still be gross...but now somehow, impossibly, you make them tolerable, and even cute.  

...I would have more time to spend with your Dada every night when he gets home from work...but now I appreciate seeing him more than I ever did before!  "Reinforcements are here!"  :)

...I would work out more....hmmmm...or less?  You keep me moving constantly and I love our daily runs together!  

In any case, sweet Baby, I'd rather be with you than without you!  

Happy Eight Months!!!!

*  *  *  *  *  *  *  *

What's new with Baby this month?  

*He's got a tooth!  One solitary tooth.  It is the most adorable tooth EVER.  And the sharpest!

*He went quickly from crawling, to climbing, to cruising, to standing with one hand on something.   Plus, he has effectively mastered "falling" - always on his butt!

*His kissing skills are improving.  When I ask for a kiss, he looks shyly off to the side and then leans in with a very open, drooly mouth and plants one right on my lips. With tongue. Needs some work...but at least he hasn't bit me yet.

*His hair is getting so long that I have to tuck it behind his ears!!!  And it kind of looks like he has a Donald Trump combover...but I'll take what I can get!!!

*He got his first taste of discipline.  I had to give him a very light "finger flick" for climbing up on the edge of the {closed} toilet and trying to eat it.  Ew. After the "flick" and the "No - icky" from me he stuck out his lower lip and looked like he was about to burst into tears.  I snuggled him and explained why it was not okay for him to climb up on the toilet.  Then he was all smiles again.  I know that he can't understand all my words yet...but I guess I just want to get into the habit of disciplining calmly and with an explanation.  (And he does understand "no.")  It is the most adorable pouty face that he makes, though.  He did it again when I had to explain to him not to try to take a dog's bone away...

*Still weighs around 20 pounds.  Feels like more when I'm pushing him uphill in the jogging stroller.

Here are the latest pics. It's not good.  May have to seek professional help soon!  Decided I have to abandon trying to lay him down on the blanket.  There is no keeping this boy still.

But look at all that hair!!!!!

"When are you going to stop making me lay on this blanket?!?!"

Yikes.

*  *  *  *  *  *

  Ahhhg!  The hair - the hair is my favorite part right now.

(I obsessively smooth it and 

 brush it off his forehead constantly. 

I'm sure he loves that.)

g