8 and 9 month updates

To my baby boy,

Time has passed too quickly again, and I am very much overdue in writing your updates for your eighth and ninth months.

And the past two months have brought such huge leaps in your development!  The difference between you at 7 months old, when I last did your update, and you at 9 months old is astonishing.

Then, you had only just learnt how to sit up in a stable way, and you were still toppling over a bit. You were getting frustrated that, although you were mastering this incredible new skill, which gave you a new perspective on your world, you were as yet unable to move about.  By the time you reached 8 months, you were sitting beautifully, and not only that, you were lurching forwards onto your hands and knees in a bid to start crawling.  While we were on holiday, just before you turned 8 months, you were trying to escape the paddling pool that we were hoping you'd stay put in!

Here you are at 8 months old, on 12th June 2015.

Between turning 7 and 8 months, your sleep became quite disrupted, although that was partly due to getting a cold.  We began to see the start of a pattern of getting up at 5am, which still continues a lot of the time now you're 9 months.  You were not a very happy baby during this month, as separation anxiety really kicked in and you screamed whenever Mummy put you down or moved across or out of the room.  You certainly knew how to get attention, and found a shouting voice!

You started crawling a few days before turning 9 months, and got the hang of it extremely quickly. Just a few days after you first crawled, you pulled yourself up on the furniture, standing very sturdily and confidently.  In the same week, you learnt to wave and to clap your hands.  Your first tooth (bottom left incisor) popped through as well in the same week! 

We've suspected that you've been saying 'Hello' for some time, but it became clearer and more obvious this month, as did saying 'Dadadad'.  Now that you could crawl, Ozzy the cat's peace was over. You searched him out at every opportunity, and we have to be careful, because he's a bit of a grump and can scratch.

These next photos were all taken on 14th July 2015, two days after you turned 9 months.

You were enjoying your food, and were now more able to grasp food and bring it to your mouth.  When you were 9 months, you enjoyed sitting at the table with us at family mealtimes, trying a bit of most things we were eating, and also enjoying dropping food and then peering over the side of your highchair.  You were still breastfeeding about three or four times in the day and a couple of times a night, and were showing no signs of wanting to stop.  I'm happy to carry on for as long as you need to.

Nearly every day that we went out at this age, someone commented on your hair.  It really is the loveliest, funniest shock of white blonde hair I've ever seen on a baby.  It grows straight upwards in a Mohican, and just seems to be getting longer and longer and higher and higher.  It makes a lot of passersby stop, smile and comment 'Oh! Look at his hair!'.

Your favourite things when you were 9 months old are the TV remote controls, my iPhone (which you can spot from anywhere in the living room), Ozzy the cat, ripping up paper and tissues, and playing 'Row, Row, Row Your Boat'.

You're a giggly, chubby, wriggly little bundle, eager to be off exploring, but equally loving tickles and raspberries on your tummy and neck. 

Love you, sweet baby,

Mummy x

A Seven Month Update: My Second Boy

My Little F,

You turned seven months a couple of weeks ago and I am a bit late writing your monthly update.  These shots were all taken on 12th May 2015, when you turned 7 months. 





You have the most beautiful blue eyes

Weight and Body

You were weighed when you were 26 weeks old, just after you turned six months, and you'd reached 16lbs.  You really are getting heavy to carry around now. When I carry you in your car seat, it is almost too much for me now, so I am going to have to stop doing that soon.  You're now well and truly out of your 3-6 month clothes and quite a few of the 6-9 clothes are becoming a little tight too!  You're growing so fast. 

The sitting that you'd been practising last month has come on in leaps and bounds, and by the time you were 7 months you were able to sit for a good 20 seconds before toppling backwards.  We were still waiting for you to roll over though.

I was surprised when I discovered that you can stand against something by the time you hit seven months. I wasn't really expecting you to be able to do this until you'd mastered sitting, but you are very sturdy on your chubby little legs, so you may just be a little bit earlier in taking your first steps than your brother.



Looking pretty proud that you can stand up!

Your hand-eye co-ordination really improved this month, and you began to reach for your toys more readily, and to turn them about to examine them.

And your hair!  So cute!  This month it sprouted upwards in a blonde fuzzy crew-cut.  Daddy and I couldn't stop rubbing our hands over the top of it.

Personality

This month you learnt how to play Peekaboo, which is just the most adorable thing.  We didn't really teach you how to do it, but one day you picked up a tea towel whilst sitting in your high chair, and you pulled it over your head, then down again, with this cheeky little smile on your face. You knew exactly what you were doing.  You're so funny, and seem to have a real sense of humour.



Just relaxing!

You have a smile for everyone who talks to you. Sometimes it's a shy little smile, with your head lowered and your eyes peering upwards, but mostly, it's a big sunshiney grin.  You chuckle easily, particularly at your big brother, and your giggles always give you the hiccups.  I've noticed that you really like to hear music, and you adore singing songs when I take you to baby groups. 

 

Feeding and Teething

 

Weaning went well this month, and by the time you were seven months, you were having three meals a day.  You definitely have a bit of a sweet tooth though, preferring your puddings to your main courses, and you also like anything with cheese in it.  You do like to have your own spoon to dip into your food and wave about while we are feeding you.  It seems like you have an independent streak like your big brother!  Talking of whom, M has helped me to feed you a few times, something which the both of you found absolutely hilarious!  In terms of finger foods, you have very slowly got a little better in handling foods and bringing them up to your mouth, but there is no real interest yet from you in actually eating much.

Again, there is still no tooth on the horizon, and there is still a LOT of dribbling. 

We are still breastfeeding, but this month, the number of feeds has naturally dropped as your solid food intake has increased.  You're still wanting a feed once or twice a night though.

Sleeping

Between turning six and seven months, sleeping has been pretty good really.  You've settled nicely into your cot and bedroom, and although I have to get up to feed you around midnight, and 3am (and sometimes another time) you are sleeping pretty peacefully.  Your naps have definitely assumed more of a pattern this month. You want to go for your first nap two hours after you wake up (usually around 9am) and then you'll want another nap after lunch. Your third nap is very much hit and miss; you will fall asleep if we're out in the car, but otherwise not.

You are the most adorable baby there ever was.  Part of me wants you to stay this age forever, so I can always keep you close to me, and so I can always kiss the top of your head and hold you to me in the middle of the night. x