Henry: 8 months

This update is a couple of weeks behind schedule due to being gone, (his monthly birthday is on the 22nd), but better late than never, right? This month has been the most fun as far as his growth and change, and it's like we watch him grow up a little more everyday. With all of this growing comes so many new, fun stages but also less of little baby Henry too. Bittersweet for sure.  As far as actual size, Henry has gotten so much bigger! Right now he's just getting out of 9 month clothing and into 12 month. He's tall and on the slim side, like another Henry I happen to know quite well!  I'm curious to see how long he is at his 9-month check up which is right around the corner.

As far as foods, Henry is a really, really good eater. He's still breastfeeding and going strong. Here's how our day usually goes:

6:45am: wake up, BF
7:30am: breakfast - usually a fruit and oatmeal concoction although this week we'll be venturing into the world of organic yogurt too.
11am: BF upon waking up from his nap
noon: a small lunch or snack - lately it's been a mashed up avocado or other veggie
2pm: BF before his nap.
5pm: BF a upon waking/before dinner
5:15pm (or so): dinner - some sort of pureed veggies
7pm: BF before bed.

Henry also has a sippy cup of water available to him and will drink whenever he's thirsty. We only do water and he's been doing the sippy cup thing since he was about 6.5 months old. He really got the hang out it around 7 months and knows how to hold it, tilt it, etc.  He never really used a bottle, so now if I have to be gone during a regular feeding he'll just drink my milk from the sippy. We use the Nuk Orthodontic Sippy and love them. I also make all of Henry's food, but while on vacation I couldn't do much outside of mashing up avocados and bananas, so to mix it up he also enjoyed some of the Earth's Best jarred food and a couple other types of organic baby food in pouches.

It's crazy what a difference a month makes- you can even see it in the 7 month to this month's photos. 8 months is the most fun yet (told you I'd say that everytime!).  But really, everyday is something new. A new sound, a new "trick," something else to make Hank and I just die from cuteness overload, laughter, or both.

This month Henry:

will wave hello and goodbye
says "mama" (his first word!)
still doesn't have any teeth
tries to stand with no hands - doesn't quite have the balance down yet
bounces and dances to music
laughs a lot
all smiles, all day
loves to be carried on my hip all the time
knows what "up" means and will raise his arms when he wants to be picked up
lots of squealing and funny noises
lots of babbling and "talking"
good at playing independently
loves Madeline so much
sleeps through the night every night

This upcoming weekend I'm leaving to go to California for a friend's bachelorette party and I'm a little nervous about being away from Henry for two nights, but I know Hank will do just fine.  I am so, so excited for some true "me" time though but I can't imagine how it is going to feel not seeing Henry everyday. My heart already hurts a little but I'm also really excited! I'm sure some of you mamas know what I mean. I've been pumping like crazy, getting Hank prepped on what to do, and I feel ready. So come Friday, this mama is getting on a plane and heading off to a fabulous girl's weekend in Manhattan Beach. Wish us luck!

So, happy 8 months sweet Henry. We love you so much. We're already halfway to 9, and I can't wait to see what it has in store for us.

p.s. note to self: for our next baby, take monthly photos SITTING UP. Even if I have to prop the baby up, it will much easier than trying to keep a rambunctious 8 month old on his back. Talk about baby-wrangling- I should film one of our photoshoots, I'm sure you'd get a laugh!