8 Months

Dear Leif,

Today you are 8 months old. These days you are learning something new every other second. For the past few days you have learned how to wave "Hi!" to anyone who approaches you, including dogs and goats. You have made a couple attempts at signing "flower", opening and closing your hand like a blooming flower while you stare directly at one. You still don't like to tell me when you are hungry, except for when you turn into a catfish and start sucking my arm or shirt.

Your favorite food is mangos!, and you specialize in a technique where you lay the mango! on the floor or on the table, and then rub your face on it, sucking up bits as you go. I think you should patent this, since it is both effective and entertaining for all. Did I mention that you like to do this naked?

Crawling is still evading you, although you manage to pull onto your knees and teeter around. You can also roll like a steam roller around on the bed or across the floor. You love the pool and water of all temperatures and levels of cleanliness. We've only done it once, but you also love mud so much that you eat it and chocolate pudding runs down your chin.

Wheels on the bus is still your favorite annoying song. Good thing I figured out how to play a creepy version in a minor key to keep things interesting for us adults. Itsybitsyspider is a close second.

Sleeping - I think we should skip sleeping.

You are always talking to us, babbling on and on about someone named "babababa" or "mumamumamu". Any sort of peekaboo makes you laugh, even when we just sit and blink. When you get really going you like to scrunch up your nose and snort - cute now, but you may want to consider shelving that when you are six or so.

We are loving getting to know you,

Mama + Dada