eight months

Carter is 8 months old!

Adventures in the eighth month:

-Bibby came for a visit!

-We celebrated your first Easter!

- Learned to crawl!

Carter,

My sweet boy is on the move. You went from swaying on your hands and knees to crawling all over the place in about 2 days time. I didn't realize you would change so much so fast. Sometimes you seem to stay at one step forever...other times you seem to skip 3 steps. You follow me all over the house. You are fast, too. I think what I want to remember most about your crawling is your one leg and one knee combination. You must think that using your right foot to crawl will get your there faster. Rosie isn't thrilled at this new skill. She does bring you her toys to see if you will chase her though. Your hands are still a bit too rough for her taste, though. You think she is the funniest and she got your first belly laugh. 

I just realized you don't cuddle as much these days. You always cuddle before naps and bedtime but other than that you want to play and move. Even sometimes before naps you arch your back and want me to put you in the crib. I do and you go right to sleep. Little stinker.  I'll be honest...sometimes I miss the days when I got tired all I would have to do is nuzzle you up to my side and we would fall asleep. You have been a champ at sleeping in your crib, but thats the only place you want to sleep now! The other night, you didn't have the best sleep time in your crib or while I was holding you. I finally got you to sleep beside me in bed and sleep from 430-630. It was wonderful to have you beside me again! You go to sleep anywhere between 7-8 pm and sleep until 4 am when you are ready to nurse. Most of the time you sleep until 615 after that. The past couple of mornings its been 5 am though. I think Im about to see your top teeth come through and that will explain the waking up at night part. 

We are on the go all of the time. I love the days we stay at home, but you are such a social butterfly that sometimes you seem to be happier out and about with people. You smile and cough at everyone to get their attention. You rarely cry in public. You have started to realize when I take things away from you, like keys... You get a little irritated at me then. You grunt when you aren't getting your way completely but mama knows best, Im sorry! I normally say, "Carter, you are going to be ok" in the calmest voice possible and you look at me like, "Hmm...thats not the reaction I wanted so I guess I'll calm down". You reach for me when I put my hands out to pick you up. You get so excited.

You still love that paci. Praise the Lord for that magical thing. I buy a new pack all the time. We can't have too many. When I am carrying you up the stairs, Ill stick to paci in my mouth to carry it, and you think that is just hilarious. You try to grab it from me to put it back in your mouth. Today at lunch we figured out a new game where you try to put the paci in my mouth. I get a pretty good laugh out of you then. 

We finally have a very normal nursing schedule. Its just about every four hours. I didn't realize how much we nursed the past 8 months until it evened out recently. Wooh, I don't know how we did it! Now that you eat food, you go longer which means nursing sessions go way better. You get the job done, no playing around. You know when you are done and sit straight up ready to play. Im getting a little sad that our year of nursing is coming up fast. I will miss it so much once we wean in 4 or 5 months....Im being a softy about it so we will see how it goes! I know once we stop that I will be sending you with daddy a lot and y'all will be best friends. Im so excited for that but I also want you to stay my nursing baby forever!

Our days consist of playing, napping, eating, Stroller Strides, MOPs, and bible study. We stay busy and you are easy to take everywhere. You will go with anyone so I pass you around once we reach our destination. You have the absolute best personality. I couldn't have made up a little boy like you. You are my biggest dream and my favorite miracle! I know you will do some big things. I love you so much, Carter! I hope you know that without me even having to say it. But don't worry, I still will :)

Poor bud has a nasty rash around his mouth we are dealing with today. I've been using a coconut oil mixture with Doterra's Lavender, Melaleuca, and Frankincense. I expect it almost gone by this weekend!

Click for 7 months