Ruby at 8 months

My dear sweet Ruby.

Today you are 8 months old, and today is also your Auntie A's 30th Birthday. Have I told you about that? You share the "2nd" as your birthday with 2 other women, your Auntie A, and your Mama. I think that's pretty special.

At 8 months....

• You are a crawling machine. Long over are the days of you even being in the same room when I get back. You particularly like crawling over to the cats food and banging around on his bowls
• You are a champion eater. You eat anything I'll let you try.  You've gotten really good at your "pincher grasp" in the last couple of weeks. You enjoy trying to pick up puffs, cheerios etc. You do want to hold your own spoon when you eat. Mama has taken to the 2 spoon approach. One for you to hold on to, and one for Mama to feed you with.  
• You tried to be a beaver at the zoo and eat a little tiny stick. You chocked, gagged, and vomited the stick up. Yea. that was not a good time. Please don't scare Mama like that again. 
• You still think your brother is the funniest person alive. (no worries, I do as well)
• You pull up with ease, and are "cruising" around furniture
• Your favorite sound to make is "ga"
• Sleep... my sweet baby girl... Mama would like more. You go to sleep around 6 and eat again around 2. (which technically is "sleeping through the night".. you just go to bed really early! You eat and then sleep until around 6.  Mama is contemplating a "cry it out" session. I will have you know, I've let this continue much longer than I did with your brother. You can thank me for my generosity. 
• You have 4 teeth. You grind them. I hate it. 
• You make a clicking sound with your tongue that makes me laugh every time. 
• You love any shaker toys, and you LOVE standing up at your table toy. 
• You've master the "controlled fall" as well as the crawling turned sit.  
• When you meet new people you appear shy, but warm up quickly. 
• Your naps are twice a day these days. 8-10ish and again from 12:30-3 or so. You go to bed around 6 to 6:30 and "sleep" until about 6. minus one wake up.
• You are so chill with everything, patient, content. Maybe it's just your lot in life being the second child. 
• You nurse about 4-5x during the day, and then the one time in the night. You get very distracted. It has to be quiet, just you and mama, low-lights for you to be focused. If anything goes awry, we might as well forget about it. 

My sweet girl, you continue to amaze us, and as your Papa said the other day... It's fun to watch your personality emerge. We love you baby girl, and we are beyond thrilled that the Lord has blessed us with YOU! 

We love you, Ruby Kathleen, more than you'll ever know.

p.s. that beautiful picture was taken by the lovely and talented Emily Smith from Smith Gallery Photography. More on family pictures soon!