Henry at Eight Months

Dear Henry,

These pictures were taken at nap time--on a Sunday, no less--but I am posting them anyway, banking on the hope that your whining face can kind of look like a smiley face in the right light.  No matter.  Eight months, my little friend--this is my favorite age.

You have doubled or quadrupled your bag of tricks this past month.  You roll.  You scoot backwards.  You play patty-cake and peek-a-boo.  You clap (new trick yesterday!).  You talk, with your "yayaya"s breaking out all over.  You jump like crazy in your jumperoo and tear the toys on your bouncy seat limb from limb (the sad day when we can no longer strap you on the bouncy seat is imminent...).  You grab everything.  And oh, do you laugh.  You have the funniest sense of humor.

I get asked a lot if you are crawling (or walking, even!).  You are not.  While you roll, you prefer to roll back and forth rather than over and over.  While you scoot, you either scoot backwards by inches or around in a circle.  I'm more than happy with your current state of limited mobility, by the way.  I realize that one day suddenly you are going to take off and it is all going to be over.

While you may be watching from a stationary position while all your little friends crawl all over you, I have been extremely impressed by the dexterity of your little fingers.  You easily mastered picking up pieces of food, and I love watching you concentrate on an intricate toy (or necklace).  It is fun to imagine the things you will do with those little hands as you grow older.

To Dad's and my relief, you had a major breakthrough in sleeping this month--not only are you sleeping a little later, but you have stopped waking up multiple times a night.  Hooray for you!  And hooray for Dad and me, seriously.  And to my relief, you are a great eater and growing like crazy--18 lbs 4 ounces this week, and I think you grow an inch a week!  You had been stuck in your 3-6 month clothes much longer than expected, but suddenly you have rocketed into the 6-12 month ones, and we are again adjusting your stroller straps and the height of the jumperoo.  I don't get too terribly sentimental about your waning babyhood, but the other day I realized that the little jeans I bought you before you were born were all high-watery, and I got a little sad.

Daddy and I were talking this morning about how lucky we are to have you as our kid.  You are so much fun.  You have a funny, sweet, pleasant disposition.  You are easy to take places, and I have such a good time with you when we are home.  Happy eight months, Henry Hoo!

Love,

Mama