Dear Jack: 8 months

Dear Jack,

Today you are 8 months old. Every time I have to write one of these monthly letters, my heart breaks just a tiny bit because that means you are one month further away from being my little baby. Lately, when I go into your room at night to check on you, I am amazed at how much of the crib you occupy. You are HUGE, kid. One of the reasons you are growing so fast is because you really love your food. The only time you even cry is when you are hungry and when you are hungry you demand to be fed immediately. Your father and I call this having a Jack-attack. I try to explain that it takes time to to prepare a bottle, but you accept no excuses. You are really getting into the finger foods these days. More and more of it is making it into your mouth and not on the floor.

You are still the easiest baby known to man. I recently left you overnight with your grandma and I was more worried about leaving your older sister than I was you because I knew you would not even be fazed. You get super excited when you see people you know, but you have no problem going to those you don't know. I have a feeling, though, that you won't be so easy when I write next month's letter because you are on the verge of full mobility. Right now, you manage to scoot around on your bottom or roll across the floor. Anything within reach gets put immediately into your mouth (including your foot).

If I put you in your exersaucer, you rock and bounce so energetically that you move the whole thing across the room within minutes. You love to stand up holding onto things and are dangerously close to pulling yourself up without assistance.

You love to play peek-a-boo and will pull a blanket over your face only to pull it right back off and smile expectantly, waiting for me to respond. You are getting more and more vocal and recently started with the da-da-das. It is so fun to hear you laughing and talking more.

I am so glad it is the summer and I am able to play with you all day long. I love your sweet smile, your big blue eyes, your raspy chuckle, the way you bury your face in my shoulder, and your love of snuggling. You are my baby...no matter how gigantic you get.

Love you forever,

Mama