Happy 8 Months!

Dear Conor,

As I sit here and write this post you are days away from being 9 months old.  I have fallen behind a little on the blog because we have simply been having too much fun this summer (and Mommy has had to work a lot) to keep up but I'm going to get caught up and then stay caught up because I want to remember each and every thing you do!

The morning of your 8 month birthday you had an appointment with Miss Erika.  You love visiting her and I think this picture says what you think of chiropractors and their work!

love the smile - you are so relaxed

checking your spine and hips

making cranial adjustments

 Miss Erika is very happy with how your head is progressing and your next visit was scheduled a month out (remember - we started going weekly, then moved to biweekly).  I can see improvement in your skull and so now we have to work on your neck, jaw, and leg.  Your neck and jaw are tight because the muscle in one side of your face was likely over worked due to your tongue tie and therefore your smile and jaw alighnment are crooked a bit.  So we will continue to see Miss Erika for a little bit longer.  Her daughter N (your friend) was awake this time so she got to watch you get worked on and then you guys got to play a bit.

When we got back from seeing Ms. Erika it was nap time and when I went up to get you when you were done napping you were STANDING IN YOUR CRIB!!!  This was the first time you had done this and when I saw it I was so thankful that Daddy and I had lowered your crib all the way to the bottom just a few weeks earlier!

first time standing in crib 8.14.12

Of course, I also had to take your monthly birthday photos - they are getting harder and harder to do because you don't like to sit still so Daddy and I have to do it together.

My happy baby

on the go!

Trying to catch a picture before you take off again

There's a keeper!

And it didn't last long!

At 8 months old you are crawling fairly well - you tend to use your left leg to propel you and your right leg is the 'catch up' leg meaning it kinda just skoots into place after your legs has done all the work.  Your left leg does more a crab type crawl then a traditional crawl on your knee but this doesn't phase you and you move right along.  You tend to go a couple of paces and then you have to stop.

You are wearing 9 month clothes in almost everything and we don't own a single pair of socks that fit you but since its summer that doesn't matter at all!

You are loving swimming lessons and experiencing the outside.  You have spent time in both the sand and grass and you don't seem phased by moving around in either material.

You take at least one decent nap a day (about an hour) but you still don't require a lot of sleep.  You go to bed between 7 and 9 and get up once around 3:30am and are back to sleep until 6:30am.  You typically fall asleep pretty quickly after a snack at 3:30 but some mornings you have wanted to play and Mommy has to let you crawl around on te big bed until you are sleepy enough to go back to sleep in your crib.  We still co-sleep a few nights a week when we feel like it but for the most part you are sleeping in your crib in your own room.

You have started to become nervous around other people - you tend to only want to be with me when I am around.  We know this is just a phase that all babies go through so I am cherishing your longing for me as much as I can because I know that in time, it too will change.

You have started ehibiting a fear of animals that aren't Hunter - specifically Grandma Janet's dogs.  You scream when they come to the door and you pull your legs up into a tucked position.  I used to be afraid of dogs so I know how scary it can feel to have them coming at you when you are afraid so we are accepting this fear and ensuring that you feel safe and secure whenever we visit.  Perhaps one day your feelings about them will change but for now all we can do is continue to show you that we can keep you safe.

You didn't go to the doctor this month so I don't have exact measurements for you but you are close to 20 pounds (I'm guessing just shy of 20) - I can't wait to see how much you have grown at your next appointment.  But your hair is coming in fast and its very thin and wispy and has tints of red and brown depending on whether you are in the sun or not.....so only time will tell!

So, that's about all there is Conor....8 months down and only 4 more until your first birthday.....I love cheering you on with each new skill learned but time is slipping away day by day and my baby is becoming more and more like a little boy.

You make us all so happy little man ..... thank you for letting me by your Mommy!

xoxo
Mommy

PS.  My how you have grown!