Allie V 8 Months.

My sweet Alice Virginia was EIGHT months old as of February 16th.  I simply cannot believe I just wrote those words.  Her life is happening in the middle of a big family life change, but we're doing our best to appreciate this first year of our littlest precious one.

Alice Virginia, you:

are over 23 pounds (not sure how much over, but we have a doctor's appointment on March 1st and will know better then)

are wearing 12-18 month clothes, but closer to the 18 month end (and size 5 diapers)

are FINALLY eating baby food!  In fact, this was a BIG developmental month for you as one day a few weeks ago, out of nowhere, you opened your mouth for bananas and now gobble everything in sight.  AND, as soon as you started eating solid food...you slept through the night!!!

sleep all the way through the night (Amen!!!).  We feed you at 7:00 pm and you sleep on until 7:00-8:00 in the morning.  I'm still dream feeding you at 11:00 pm because I'm terrified of what would happen if I don't, but when we get back home from our trip, we're going to start phasing that feeding out.  And, even though you're sleeping, I wake up to check the baby monitor at least 20 times because you sleep so deeply.  You rarely move in your sleep - whenever I check, you're always in the same position - on your back/side, arms wrapped around your bah-bah.

take two long naps during the day with a shorter one in the late evening sometimes tossed in there.  Your naps are generally from 8:30/9:00-10:30/11:00 and 1:00/2:00-3:30/4:00.  AND, you still sleep anywhere and everywhere and transfer easily from your carseat to your crib.  We don't have to worry about keeping you awake in the car - if you fall asleep in there, you'll go right into your crib and finish your nap.  LOVE. :)

clap your hands, smile, and bounce up and down when you see me coming either from another room or after nursery.  I love this about you.  We get super excited to see one another again, you and I.

sit up with perfect ease, but show no interest in rolling over or crawling (yet).  I've noticed that you're getting more frustrated now if a toy is out of your reach, so I'm just waiting for you to gather your courage and make a move for it.

are the MOST contented, happy, tender baby I've ever experienced.  And I don't think it's just because I'm partial. :)  Whenever I leave you in nursery at church or bible study, all the women exclaim about your happy disposition when I come back to pick you up.  You have an amazingly long attention span for a baby.  One Sunday this month, the nursery ladies told me that you caused them quite a tickle when you played with a bow on your sock for 15 minutes.  You content yourself with anything - carpet, books, ribbons, toys, rattles - and really study objects; you're interested by different textures.

have started doing this absolutely precious thing lately.  When you want to be held, you put a quiet hand on the nearest person, resting it there until they put you in their lap or give you a hug.

adapt to any situation.  I was so proud of you this month because I had two different dentist appointments.  During each appointment, you just sat in your carrier and held my hand, watching the dentist work.  If I moved my hand, you would fuss a little, so I stroked your fingers for most of the time.

are an answer to our deepest prayers and longings as parents - you are the perfect fit in our family, and we are enamored with you.  I've said it before and I have a feeling I'll always say it about you: we could not have made it through this year with any other baby.  You make our days, nights, and lives so very full.

will have your first airplane ride TOMORROW!  You, your big sister, douglass the dog, and I are all flying home to South Carolina.  That is, if we survive the airport.  :)

Here are A LOT of pictures of you from your seventh into eighth month.  I'm pretty sure only the grandmothers (and frousin Kaitlin - cause she told me she would) will scroll through all of these, but I just couldn't leave any out.  Our girl's just too precious.

Enjoy!

I thought she looked like a little koala baby in her daddy's arms.

looking at her big sister

a fun one I took by accident

about the only time she gets upset is when she's hungry. and it's still the cutest thing you've ever seen.