jude turns 8

I love the crinkly parts

Our eight month old is developing and growing so fast these days and is so fascinated and distracted by his toys and surroundings.

playing with his first ball

Just today I laid Jude down his tummy facing one way. I turn around and he's spun himself 90 degrees to play with something else. I know the day is fast approaching when he will be truly mobile and I will lose whatever 'free' time I think I have now. So I am trying to be grateful for each and everyday of whatever stage he is in. Because it appears they only keep getting harder for the next few years.

Anytime George our dog is even in the room Jude will turn or twist to see him. We've given him a few controlled opportunities to pet the dog. Usually it ends when George sneaks a quick lick on Jude's face and we move away.

cute as a button

Jude continues to be a happy baby who still likes meeting people. A big part of that is his willingness to take naps...on most days. One of our sleep books says about 16% of babies his age will also take a 3rd nap in the late afternoon. We are very happy to say Jude is among that 16%, only because he seems happier and does less crying before bed if he's had that short nap.

He is actively reaching for things and lunging while sitting up to grab stuff. Tonight for instance during storytime he managed to grab and almost pull over the lamp in his nursery.

a previous lunge-free storytime

Its a nifty baby lamp that has stuffed animals attached on the base. He caught the lion by the tail and almost ended their short animal lives. Kara had a good laugh in the hallway watching Greg try to finish the book he was reading to Jude, while Jude repeatedly arched back and lunged for the lamp.

what have i done here?

a baby's life

Oh sometimes to have a baby's life. I get up and someone else gets me cleaned up and dressed. Then I eat prepared, 100% organic natural food that someone else cleans up or simply 'provides'. Then its downstairs for a baby brain and body workout...in my exersaucer.

enjoying baby workout

Sometimes both mommy and daddy are around to take the family places.

And now I have a special comfy chair to eat in. This high chair lets me sit eye to eye with the parents while they feed me, and again clean it all up.

jude's first meal in highchair

clearly he enjoys it

Here's hoping you get to baby yourself once in awhile

its a frustrating world?

Our little guy has entered a new phase of life.

who me?

Instead of just grabbing for fingers or his own blankets to put in his mouth, Jude now wants to put everything he encounters in his mouth. It might be the book we are trying to read at bedtime, the newspaper, our napkin or mom's hair. While it sounds and is sort of cute, we have a new issue. Sweet little jude becomes fairly frustrated little jude when you take things away. Bedtime reading is now a bit of a struggle and its more difficult to sit with him at the table as well. We knew this I'm my own person part was coming eventually, but we'd sort of prefer that he just remain in the cute little baby phase for longer.

Also we have another development fun tidbit. Greg had Jude sitting as baby leaned back on a couch pillow yesterday. The little block Jude was playing with rolled away. We watched him lean forward and get himself into laying on his tummy to grab the block. It is amazing to watch our little adorable blob of a baby develop and develop.

He also makes this happy high pitched squealing noise quite a bit now. Like this morning when we went in to get him at 8 o'clock (!) ((thank you very much baby)) and he let out happy excited squeals to see us. It makes the screamy times much easier to bear.

p.s. he did make noise and babble just before 6 and again at 7, if that makes you other new parents hate us less for our easy baby :-)