8 Months Old- State of the Bean

It's hard to believe that 8 months have passed since Cora came into our lives.  Partly because it seems so long ago and feels like she's been part of our world forever.  And partly too because at the same time it's gone by in the blink of an eye.

I keep wondering when I will start to feel the loss of my baby with the realization that she's growing up.  But each stage and new development and new day seems to bring its own wonder and its own joys.  And she is still a baby. 

This weekend we packed up a lot of baby gear and clothes.  Some we are keeping for the next baby that arrives in the family, but some were given away.  As I folded her newborn clothes it was hard to believe that at one time they were too big for her skinny little body. We've packed up the infant swing, her snuggle nest, and her bouncy seat.  All things that are a little bittersweet to pack away.

But it's also exciting to reflect on the things that we've already packed away, memories of stages that we're only too happy to have passed:  the apnea monitor with its belts, probes and wires, with memories of the sounds that would wake us often shrieking false alarms; the feeding tubes, syringes, and stethoscope used to administer NG tube feedings; the hospital grade breast pump and then my own personal breast pump, the bottles, formula, pump supplies, and freezer bags from her pre-breastfeeding days; the bottles of diuretics, heart medication, reflux medication and pain medication along with tiny little syringe feeders; the myriad of burp rags that we'd wash daily by the load, often using 3 or more for just one feed.  Those are the things that I am happy to have packed away.

And now we're looking to get new things.  We've got a date to go toy shopping at a consignment sale in a week or so to pick up some gently used toys to help encourage Cora along in her development, as well as a few new basics for her fall wardrobe.

The Girlie is wowing us on a regular basis with her personality and accomplishments.  She's turning into quite the little Sassy Pants and has discovered how to shout.  I'm realizing that it is time to start working on discouraging undesirable behaviors with her, shocked that we're "there" already.

She's still working hard to sit up unassisted, but can go for longer stretches as a time, sometimes tripoding, sometimes balancing on her own for longer and longer stretches before she topples over.  She'll sit indefinitely with a little support on her hips.  She's using her hands for play constantly, grabbing for toys that she didn't reach for a week ago.  She wants to hold onto everything all the time. She's holding her mesh feeder and putting it into her mouth to enjoy her breastmilk and fruit puree popsicles, although she'd prefer that I hold them for her.

She's rolling over consistently from back to tummy, but still hasn't remembered that for a couple of months she could roll the other way.  We're waiting for the light to go on that this could be a way to move her own body around.  So until then, we move her around frequently.

She's continuing to enjoy eating fruit and occasionally squash, but we have to hide vegetables like zucchini and brocolli in pears or applesauce to get her to eat them.  She's happiest in the big-girl swing and really needs to get out of the house daily for her own little dose of sanity. (how like her Mother!)  Despite our efforts, she really wants to watch television, and will turn her head to look at it whether it's off or on, (hello, object permanence!)  although she's still not quite sure if she likes playing Peekaboo or not.  Patty-cake, on the other hand, brings ridiculously big grins and giggles.  She's actually starting to smile for the cameras and not just for us.

She's 15 pounds, 5 ounces of chubby little squishy love, fitting perfectly into 6 month size clothes, growing up every day.  Happy 8 month day to my little love!