Grant 9 months

New skills- standing for long stretches on his own and even starting to bounce and dance while doing so, cruising along furniture faster these days and even seems to take tiny steps while not holding on sometimes- I don't know how much longer he'll hold off on actually walking. He loves walking while holding our hands or his walker toy. 

He is starting to babble more and more although no actual words have come out. He makes sounds and noises at seemingly appropriate times as if he's having a conversation or has something to say. I'm pushing hard for mama first! 

Lots of firsts this month remind me that he's so not a little baby anymore...first time at the church nursery, first time riding in the shopping cart instead of being worn by me, first time playing in the grass, first time opening cupboards and pulling stuff out! 

His weight is still less than would make sense for a 9 month old so we are following up with the pediatric GI Doctor just to have more eyes on him. He crushed the milestones and his doctor appointment on all other accounts though so we waver back and forth about how he seems so healthy and happy and fine but then why isn't he gaining very well?! Regardless we are  sure that on a day-to-day basis he smiles enough to make up for it! 

Old habits (die hard)

Still waking up all the time (it seems like!) really it's just 2-3 times per night- once around 12/1, once around 3/4 and then his actual morning wake up between 6-7am. I'm really ready for him to grow out of this but we've tried a few times to skip one of the wake ups (by letting him cry a little and learning to soothe himself). It always works for a night or two but then he goes right back to waking up which makes me feel like he's just not ready yet. 

Grant 8 months

Sat down to write the 9 month post and realized there's no 8 month post! Whoops. 

So Grant- 8 months

New skills...walking along furniture and trying to stand on his own but not successful for very long, playing peekaboo and "so big". Also dances when music starts playing by bouncing and waving arms around. 

Still isn't a big fan of eating but we keep trying and his grasp is getting better so he can easily get puffs into his mouth now. Actually, he also gets crumbs from the floor into his mouth too somehow, even the tiny ones! We vacuum almost daily...hope this phase passes soon. 

Tyler and Grant interact more and more...they will crawl around on the floor chasing each other, they both always want whatever toy the other has. Grant usually goes along with it and doesn't put up too much of a fight when Tyler grabs something from him. That won't always be the case, I'm sure! 

Grant went to ChildWatch at the Y a couple times this month...once I went to get them and they were both sitting on the floor in the big kids (not infant) play area looking at a toy. The workers told me that Grant had been crying in the baby area so they brought him over to see his brother and he had been fine ever since! Seeing them sitting there together playing with a toy (and not fighting over it) was the best! All in one moment I thought how awesome it was that they have each other AND that we must be doing something right since they don't always act so agreeable at home but apparently they do in public! 

Grant is also more of a snuggler than I remember Tyler being...he always lays his head down on my shoulder when I shut the light off for naptime or bedtime. He's still a thumb sucker, which multiplies the cuteness factor. 

I took him to get 8 mo photos taken, he did NOT smile. The "stranger danger" phase is in full force right now too. I'll have to dig those pictures out and get some posted! Here's one from Easter- so the end of 8 months-