Ryan is 8 months old!

I'm about a week late in getting it together to even work on this post, but better late than never I suppose.  So, our little pumpkin is now 8 months old. Can you believe it? When people ask me in the store how old he is, I now find myself taking a minute and thinking, "how old is he now?" People say that when you are pregnant you have "pregnancy brain", well I think this extends into parenthood as a scatterbrained "mommy brain" as well. Anyways, Ryan is just as cute as ever and discovering his world in fun new ways everyday.  Not to say that he doesn't have bumps and ouchies, but so far nothing major from his new found love for independence. (Thank you, Jesus!) A day before Ryan turned 8 months Mike and I weighed him at his grandma's house and according to their scale he is exactly 22lbs. We tried to use a tape measure to figure out how long he is, but from what we could tell it still said 29 inches, so either we were off last month or off this month b/c I'm sure he's not the exact same. We'll get the official measure at his 9 month appt and update then! Ryan is still in size 3 diapers and is wearing 9 month and 12 month outfits with a few 6-9 two piece sets that still fit.  His pj's are all 12 month now and I finally bought a few two piece sets that hopefully last us a bit longer than the one piece footed pjs.  Now on to some of Ryan's latest accomplishments:

• Halfway through month 7 he finally decided crawling up on all 4's like a big boy is really fun!
• He is pulling up on EVERYTHING!! (couches, tables, chairs, bookcases, crib, window sills etc.)
• He's starting to cruise around furniture, primarily when there is something out of reach that he wants to get to. I'm still hesitant to let him do this much, bc I worry about him falling, but he seems to get stronger every day!
• As of 10/13 he now has 4 teeth with two more up top ready to come through anytime. We started brushing his teeth before bed at night this past month too which he seems to enjoy. (mostly sucking the water off the toothbrush, ha!)
• He loves to roar or make other loud noises, which my family (La especially) finds hilarious
• He jabbers often and tries new sound combinations that we love to hear
• He has learned he can talk into his plastic Halloween pumpkin and hear his voice louder/echo
• He enjoys feeding himself cheerios, Gerber puffs, yogurt bites, and cheese. I have been trying to find more things he can try that he can feed himself because for about 4 days I really couldn't get more than 2oz of food down him a day other than what he could put in his mouth himself. (grapes and bananas were rejected by him)
• The past few days he is back to his normal self with eating about 6-8oz of baby food a day plus some finger food snacks. Fav foods: sweet potatoes, squash, pears, apple/blueberry mixture and CHEESE! Dislikes: peas, bananas, sometimes yogurt
• His nursing schedule is now 8:30am (wake up), around 12:30pm, 4:30-5pm, then before bed at 8pm. He typically wakes up between 3:30-4am for a feeding then back to bed, but the past two nights has made it until 5am so we're crossing our fingers that sticks around!!
• He takes two naps a day, one about 2 hrs after waking up that is typically about two hours. The second one later in the afternoon (usually around 3-3:30) which is normally about an hour, but sometimes a little longer.
• He has varying days of separation anxiety being better/worse. He definitely likes when I am around and tends to look for me when I am out of sight. He's actually turned away from people wanting to take him from my arms a few times the past few weeks which is new. I am trying to give him opportunities to be away from me so that he knows he can play and have fun on his own and with others.

Last month we joined our church's MOPS (mothers of preschoolers) group so Ryan goes to MOPPETS two Tuesdays a month from 9:30-11:30am.  He also spends Sundays in the nursery during the second service. It's a nice break for me and I feel like he is getting exposed to other children and adults. I have also joined a BUNCO group that meets the first Mondays of the month, so Mike and Ryan get some father/son time and Mike gets to bathe and put him to bed which I think is a good bonding time for them.  Mike has also joined a Men's Bible study through our church that meets on Tuesdays, which he is enjoying! Ryan absolutely loves other kids. We will be in a grocery store or shopping and he will hear a child's voice and turn in their direction and just grin and watch them everywhere they go. Sometimes he will even fuss when they get out of sight as though he wants to follow them! (He also does this with the cat) Ryan loves crawling around the house and chasing the cat and climbing up at window sills and banging on the windows.  He has a few books that are current favorites: Peek-a-Who?, That's not my Monster, Trucks, and before nap time- I Love you Through and Through. He used to never sit still for me to read to him, but when I read these books he jabbers along and pays attention excitedly and with the last book he actually let me put him in my lap and sat still to read!! Hopefully this continues, but maybe it was because it was before the last two nap times. He is such a sweet boy and loves his Mom and Dad and all his family around him! We sure love him too! We can't wait to see you as you grow and learn and become a wonderful loving Christian man! Stay sweet little boy!

Love, Mommy