I was just rereading your last post and I am amazed at how much you have grown over the past couple of months...in so many ways! One thing hasn't changed the least bit though and that is the sweet aura that encircles you wherever you go. It doesn't matter where we are, who we're with, what time of day it is - you're always content, just smiling away.
*You're definitely on the move crawling all over the place! When you first learned, you didn't realize you could go anywhere you wanted. You'd continue to just sit in the same place and play with your toys. Yeah, that lasted a couple of days and then it dawned on you that you could not only go wherever you wanted, but whenever you wanted too! We've now sectioned off the living room, creating road blocks in every direction to keep you away from the fireplace, stairs, etc. Your favorite thing to get into is Papou's bucket of fire tending tools.
*You have just started pulling yourself up to the standing position on furniture. When you do so, you look around the room with a huge grin on your face so proud of your new found accomplishment.
*The sign language has also started to click. You use sign language to communicate milky, water, and more. Although some days you're stubborn and want to play the baby bird card with your mouth open without signing.
*Other than meat, you will eat almost anything we're eating during meals now. Right now your favorites are toast and cheese ravioli! You still get giddy though when you see the pureed jar come out of the pantry - legs start kicking away.
*You celebrated your first Halloween! You were a Jedi Master who was faced with the greatest challenge of trying to keep a light saber out of your mouth. Your sister was Princess Leia and your brother was a Praetorian Guard.
First breakfast at our favorite place, Yolk!
*You turned 8 months on Christmas Eve! We celebrated in Crivitz with Grandma and Grandpa for a few days, at PHFB with the Meersmans, and had Christmas morning at PHFB. Santa brought you a set of stacking wood blocks and your godparents surprised you with your very own Strider Pro! You also received the Strider rocking base and have been Striding like crazy, even earlier than your brother and sister. Strider bikes liked your smile so much you took 3rd place in their photo contest for December. When you start rocking, you have the biggest grin and look just like your nouno.
*You are all about clapping right now. You sit in the middle of the living room, on my lap, in your crib and clap clap clap!
*If you could just sit on my hip all day, you would be in heaven. Anytime I come to pick you up you start giggling, panting, and kicking your legs.
*You have a pretty amazing sleep schedule. You like to take a nice long nap around 10:30/11:00 in the morning and then one shorter one later in the afternoon. You are sound asleep most nights by 7:00 p.m. and sleep through the night. Like clockwork you're up at 5:00 a.m. ready to eat, but luckily go right back down for some early morning zzzz's until your brother and sister get up. I was so proud of how quickly you adjusted to taking naps in your crib during the day.
*Bath time, especially because you get to take one with your brother and sister in a chair now. You are absolutely giddy being with the big kids - kicking, splashing the water, putting toys in your mouth, and laughing.
Your Current Dislikes:
*When you think one of us is coming to pick you up, but we're just walking past you. Your bottom lip quivers and you have actually wailed quite a few times in disappointment.
*You're still working on learning some patience while you wait for meals in your high chair.
*When you're on the move and right as you get to where you want to go, your big brother or sister swoops in, picks you up, and carries you back over to where you're supposed to be (by your toys). Ha!
Your Brother & Sister:
*You are quite a hot commodity in our household Leo and the newest quarrel between your brother and sister is who is going to get to play with you. They of course don't want to both play together at the same time. They have expressed they would like solo time with you. They bicker about who is going to play with you, give you your bottle, feed you, and greet you when you first wake up in the morning. They both love to crawl in your crib with you in the mornings.
*Ari likes to "teach" you things, like how to catch a football and dribble a soccer ball. By teach, I mean you're sitting there chewing on your toys and he's showing you these things. Here you are being taught how to shop at Target...haha.
*Ari and Elle took you to meet Santa for the first time! Not a tear in sight for the first meeting, but you weren't too happy about seeing him again at Grandma Noula & Nicole's house on Christmas Day.
Your Daddy:
*One of Daddy's highlights this past month was going Christmas tree hunting with you. We tried a new place out in Rubicon and had the most beautiful morning walking the property looking for that perfect tree! The day was sunny & mild - we even ended up taking off our winter coats. We always take a picture on this adventure and having you in in this year for the first time made us all so happy!
*Daddy is still adjusting to his new traditional schedule at school. He's missing out on his extended break right now and went back right after the New Year. Good news is we will have lots of time with him once May hits!
*Daddy continues nurturing his love for the outdoors and gets you and your siblings out any chance he gets. Here you are enjoying your first sit down session in the snow!
Your Mommy:
*I have been busy as ever finishing out another fall semester at UWM. I can assure you this has been thee fastest semester of my career there. I think it's because my hands (and heart) are fuller than ever and find myself consumed with the day to day. I know there will be a time I will look back and want to be this busy all over again. Busy is good, but I find when I'm busy the time just flies by and that makes me sad.
*One of my favorite day to day events right now is dancing with you. You're on my hip for much of the day and we always take a few minutes to dance (to Elle's playlist of course). I hold you so close and put your soft cheek up to mine...best feeling in the world.
I can't wait to see what these next couple months bring for our family! We have swim lessons planned for you and a special trip to help us get through these long winter months.
Stay sweet baby boy. We love you so much!
Love,
Mommy
