Dear Zoe,
Today you are eight months old and OH. MY. GOODNESS! You are the sweetest little thing in my world! Every month that goes by I love you more and more, but that hardly seems possible because I loved you before I set eyes on you.
Speaking of eyes... I'm not sure who's eyes you have, or who you look more like for that matter. Sometimes I swear you are a mini version of me and then you'll get that wide-eyed interested look, or yawn, or smile and I see your daddy. I think maybe, you are the perfect combination of us both. What I know for sure is that you are beautiful and I must be somewhat good looking if I helped make you. But lets not spend too much talking about your looks; there are so many other wonderful and exciting things about you!
I think your eighth month of life was where you found some independence. You're pulling yourself up to the sitting position now instead of just doing those little crunches (which were super cute) and most of the time you try to skip sitting all together and spring straight up to standing. You've got some seriously strong legs and you love to stand on them. You lean on the sofa and sometimes I let go of you to see how you do on your own. Last week you fell back and this did not make you happy at all. Truth is, it made me want to cry seeing you so upset but I also know that you need to fall so you can learn to stand. It's all part of the learning process. What I can promise you is this: I will always do the best I can to lift you up and help you move on but I will also stand back and let you thrive like I know you will. It may not always be easy for me to know which to do when, but we'll learn together. OK? You're starting to like tummy time more, and it sure does look like you want to crawl. You lift your head up so high, move your arms, and wiggle your legs.... you just haven't gotten your tummy off the ground yet. The other day you were so determined to get to the toy I had in front of you, but you ended up scooting backwards. Needless to say, this ticked you off. It's all right, baby. You're doing things your way, at your own pace. Soon you'll be racing around this house and I won't be able to keep up with you.
One of your Daddy's and my favorite things to do is watch you play. It is so cool to sit and watch you pick up your toys and examine them like you're trying to figure out how they work. I especially like it when you "talk" to your toys. Right this moment I think you might be telling your caterpillar a story. You've been experimenting with all the sounds you can make and we're hearing the beginnings of words. You definitely say Daddy and you're either saying Nana or Nigh-Nigh. I've always been really bad about figuring out what kids are trying to tell me, but I'm hoping I'll understand your language since you're mine.
What else? You love your food. We're now feeding you breakfast, lunch and dinner in your high chair and I think it might be your favorite thing in the entire world. You enjoy carrots, sweet potatoes, peas, apples, pears, plums, cereal and yogurt. We still can't seem to shovel it in fast enough to your liking. This afternoon I got distracted while feeding you and when I looked up you were leaning all the way forward with your mouth wide open - when I gave you the bite you were waiting for you squealed with delight. Unfortunately, almost every meal ends with a little bit of yelling and crying at the disappointment that it's over. I know. Sometimes I wish meals could last forever too.
We're completely done breast-feeding now. We had a good run, but between those two teeth you've got and my needing to take a medication that wasn't safe for you - our time was up. I'm not going to lie: it's sort of nice not having to pump, or wear breast pads, or worry about leaking if I hold you too close. Also, I'm glad to be wearing under wire bras again... but never mind. This is about you.
My favorite things about the last month:
Your first Christmas. Welcoming the New Year with you. Seeing more of your personality come out. Watching you enjoy your meals. Seeing you flirt and smile at strangers... and also when you just give people that deadpan look of yours. Getting to take your picture: you're my little model the way you interact with my camera! How you like it when we surprise you or act like we're going to eat you. The way you reach out for what you want (bottle, binkie, dog, dad, me, toy, etc.) and grab it. Watching Baby Einstein with you and seeing you truly engaged in all the colors and activity. Reading books with you. Giving you baths. Singing your favorite songs (ABC's, If You're Happy & You Know It) and how you lean forward and smile with recognition. Hearing people say what a sweet, smart baby you are.
You are, Zoe. You are sweet, smart, happy and delightful. You fill our days with joy and I am so glad that I get to be your mommy. I love you.
And since it's been so long....
11. Dr. Lewis
Bright white hair and thick black glasses - like the grandpa in ‘Sixteen Candles’. When you asked me if I was ready for my Cesarean section: “Only if you’re not too tired.”
Speaking of eyes... I'm not sure who's eyes you have, or who you look more like for that matter. Sometimes I swear you are a mini version of me and then you'll get that wide-eyed interested look, or yawn, or smile and I see your daddy. I think maybe, you are the perfect combination of us both. What I know for sure is that you are beautiful and I must be somewhat good looking if I helped make you. But lets not spend too much talking about your looks; there are so many other wonderful and exciting things about you!
I think your eighth month of life was where you found some independence. You're pulling yourself up to the sitting position now instead of just doing those little crunches (which were super cute) and most of the time you try to skip sitting all together and spring straight up to standing. You've got some seriously strong legs and you love to stand on them. You lean on the sofa and sometimes I let go of you to see how you do on your own. Last week you fell back and this did not make you happy at all. Truth is, it made me want to cry seeing you so upset but I also know that you need to fall so you can learn to stand. It's all part of the learning process. What I can promise you is this: I will always do the best I can to lift you up and help you move on but I will also stand back and let you thrive like I know you will. It may not always be easy for me to know which to do when, but we'll learn together. OK? You're starting to like tummy time more, and it sure does look like you want to crawl. You lift your head up so high, move your arms, and wiggle your legs.... you just haven't gotten your tummy off the ground yet. The other day you were so determined to get to the toy I had in front of you, but you ended up scooting backwards. Needless to say, this ticked you off. It's all right, baby. You're doing things your way, at your own pace. Soon you'll be racing around this house and I won't be able to keep up with you.
One of your Daddy's and my favorite things to do is watch you play. It is so cool to sit and watch you pick up your toys and examine them like you're trying to figure out how they work. I especially like it when you "talk" to your toys. Right this moment I think you might be telling your caterpillar a story. You've been experimenting with all the sounds you can make and we're hearing the beginnings of words. You definitely say Daddy and you're either saying Nana or Nigh-Nigh. I've always been really bad about figuring out what kids are trying to tell me, but I'm hoping I'll understand your language since you're mine.
What else? You love your food. We're now feeding you breakfast, lunch and dinner in your high chair and I think it might be your favorite thing in the entire world. You enjoy carrots, sweet potatoes, peas, apples, pears, plums, cereal and yogurt. We still can't seem to shovel it in fast enough to your liking. This afternoon I got distracted while feeding you and when I looked up you were leaning all the way forward with your mouth wide open - when I gave you the bite you were waiting for you squealed with delight. Unfortunately, almost every meal ends with a little bit of yelling and crying at the disappointment that it's over. I know. Sometimes I wish meals could last forever too.
We're completely done breast-feeding now. We had a good run, but between those two teeth you've got and my needing to take a medication that wasn't safe for you - our time was up. I'm not going to lie: it's sort of nice not having to pump, or wear breast pads, or worry about leaking if I hold you too close. Also, I'm glad to be wearing under wire bras again... but never mind. This is about you.
My favorite things about the last month:
Your first Christmas. Welcoming the New Year with you. Seeing more of your personality come out. Watching you enjoy your meals. Seeing you flirt and smile at strangers... and also when you just give people that deadpan look of yours. Getting to take your picture: you're my little model the way you interact with my camera! How you like it when we surprise you or act like we're going to eat you. The way you reach out for what you want (bottle, binkie, dog, dad, me, toy, etc.) and grab it. Watching Baby Einstein with you and seeing you truly engaged in all the colors and activity. Reading books with you. Giving you baths. Singing your favorite songs (ABC's, If You're Happy & You Know It) and how you lean forward and smile with recognition. Hearing people say what a sweet, smart baby you are.
You are, Zoe. You are sweet, smart, happy and delightful. You fill our days with joy and I am so glad that I get to be your mommy. I love you.
And since it's been so long....
11. Dr. Lewis
Bright white hair and thick black glasses - like the grandpa in ‘Sixteen Candles’. When you asked me if I was ready for my Cesarean section: “Only if you’re not too tired.”
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