Eight Months

Carver is officially 8 months old and my feelings about it are sort of contradictory. I feel like these last eight months have flown by, but I also feel like it was so long ago that I was pregnant and anxiously awaiting his safe arrival. And, I can barely remember what it was like to hold him when he was a "tiny" newborn. I mean, I have hundreds of pictures to document it of course, but it still seems like a long time ago. Maybe because now I can't really picture a world before he was in it.

Regardless, I am still amazed that he is already eight months old. And let me just say, I am loving this age. I've loved them all for different reasons, but watching him crawl and sit up and even stand up is so.much.fun. I just love it.

Here are some happenings from the 8-month mark:

1) Crawling in perfect formation now. He only drops to his tummy if he needs to free up his hands to hold something. And, he crawls at lightning speed. Usually straight back to whatever I just moved him away from.

2) Sitting up easily and really enjoys his new view from shopping carts and high chairs.

3) Pulling himself up into a standing position. (While I cringe waiting for him to fall over and hit his head or some other body part). As a side note, I am amazed that children consistently outgrow this baby phase without brain damage. Carver bumps into things or falls over, etc ALL DAY LONG. Luckily he is very tough and usually only cries for a few seconds before heading on his way.

4) I'm fairly certain that, as of today, he is saying "Mama." Which I adore hearing though in no way is he associating the word with me. (Daniel heard it too if you need proof). However, the sooner he learns that the word is actually associated with me the sooner I lose any and all hope of denying him anything he wants. (You know..."Just say Mama and you can have ______.")

5) Carver stayed in the nursery (at church) for the first time this week. I know, I know, I waited quite awhile. But, it was even hard for me to do it at this age. Leave your child with strangers?? Gasp. But, it worked out fine. We both survived.

6) We had our first vacation as a family to Savannah.

7) Met his new friend, Whitney Allison.

8) CUT HIS FIRST TOOTH!!! On the bottom of course. No pictures of it yet as it is only clearly visible when he yawns but as soon as I get one you will be the first to see it. (And, it appeared on his cousin Julia's thirteenth birthday!)

9) Still breastfeeding (gag) but Carver has been weaning himself for the last month or so (hooray). We are down to nursing only overnight. I am SO glad that I made the decision to breastfeed though, I've made no secret of the fact that I am not a fan of the practice. Still, it was the right decision (for us) and it really worked out quite well. I'm not sad that it is coming to an end. I made it much, much longer than I ever thought possible.

10) Still not sleeping through the night. Oh no, my son likes to wake up 2,3, sometimes 4 times a night. Yes, we've tried "crying it out;" no, he is not hungry, cold, etc. I know I am probably doing something wrong but I don't know what it is...

11) Carver is a rather light eater. He eats about four 6 oz bottles a day (plus whatever he eats overnight when nursing). Then he eats 2 meals a day of solids. Sometimes he eats a lot but usually it is, what I would consider, a rather small amount for his size/age. BUT, he weighs 20 lbs so I wouldn't say he is malnourished. Short of force feeding him I'm not sure what else to do.

12) Carver had his first run-in with Delia. He brushed up against her and she whipped around and nipped at him...twice. At which point Daniel spanked her, yelled at her, and dragged her to her crate for a "Time Out." Carver merely kept heading toward the toy he was aiming for and was never even aware of the exchange. Delia spent the next two days attached to Daniel, trying to get him to forgive her. We're keeping an eye on the situation. But, I admit, my feelings were hurt. Delia should know better.

13) Carver likes to make a clicking sound with his tongue. Sometimes he does it all.day.long. And he thinks it is so funny if you make the sound back to him.

14) Carver is very noisy when he eats. He repeatedly makes a humming-type sound that sounds sort of like "Mmmmmmm..."


As always I am looking forward to what the next months bring. Having a child really makes each day have endless possibilities. I have so many things to be thankful for. At the top of that list is this child that I adore, who is perfect, and precious, and healthy. He has given my life a meaning and a purpose that it had lacked for so long. Being a parent is scary business. Every night, when I am sitting in the rocking chair in his nursery, with the lights out, and his music playing, giving him his last bottle, I pray fervently that God will protect him, use him, love him, and guide him. I pray that Daniel and I will always be all that he needs us to be, that we will not let him down or fail in this huge job we have been called to do. Most of all I pray that I will not have a spirit of fear. That I will not allow my worrying and over-protectiveness to take away from his life or the beauty of each day I get to spend with him. He is a gift and a blessing and at the end of the day I just have to lift him up to God, and let go-- knowing that I have done my best for him that day (or at least tried), and that the rest is out of my hands.