Hey, Sweet Baby!
You turned eight months old, last week.
This has been a big month for you!
You learned to crawl, and you are very proud of yourself! I am amazed at how quick you are, and how unprepared I was for your newfound mobility. I spend my days chasing your cute booty around the house, picking up the destruction you leave behind and trying to forsee anything you may be thinking of getting into. I see your frustration go away, now that you can get to where you want to go, all by yourself.
...all by yourself...
You are laughing more than ever. You purposely goof off, look to see that we saw, then you laugh at how funny you are. We think you are hilarious and so silly, baby. You brighten our days!
You eat breakfast, lunch and dinner with us. I love eating as a family, and I can't wait to enjoy the countless family meals as our family grows, and as our kitchen table grows! You eat eggs, sweet potatoes, bananas, carrots and avocados. Your favorites are your eggs, sweet potatoes and avocados. Like your Daddy, you really don't love bananas. And like your Mama you don't particularly love carrots.
Over the next couple weeks, we will give you apples and yogurt! I think you'll like them both.
All day long, you babble and yell and explore. "BA BA BA BA" and "MA MA MA MA" and "AHHHHH" ....usually at the top of your lungs. You spit and blow bubbles and chuckle like a pro.
We cannot get enough of you.
You are beautiful, and I make sure to tell you this every single day. You have the prettiest eyes and the sweetest smile.
These are the phrases you're starting to understand:
+ "More?" Both speaking and signing. You haven't signed it back yet, but I see in your face that you understand what we mean.
+ "No ma'am/No thank you" When your crawling towards or chewing on something that you shouldn't be, we say this, and you freeze and slowly sit back onto your bottom or take the item out of your mouth. We say "thank you, ma'am" or "good job, Addi!" and you grin and start kicking and waving your arms very big, so proud of yourself.
+ Your name, and nicknames. There are so many different things we call you, and you are starting to pick up on them! Addi, Addi Bird, Addi Birdie, Birdie, Booger Butt (that's all Daddy), Sugar, Lovie... So many more!
+ "Kisses?" When we ask you this, we get up close to your face, and you've started grabbing our face, pulling us in, and planting your sweet open mouth right onto our lips! It is the most precious thing, and it makes my heart want to burst.
Life is crazy and funny, with you.
Life is exhausting in the sweetest way.
With you, my sweet girl.
For eight months now, we've been learning you and kissing you daily. I don't think it will ever get old, being your Mama. Frustrating, yes. Scary, yes.
But not old, never old.
You are teaching me more about myself than I've ever known. The stuff I'm proud of, but also the stuff I'm not very proud of. I hear people say, "oh, she's going to be just like you! How wonderful!" And I hear my heart whisper, "No...please, no."
You see, my Birdie... I don't want you to be like me. I want you to be better than me. I want you to be brave, confident and obedient to God. These are three areas where I fall short every single day, and I am ashamed of that.
I pray bravery over you.
I pray confidence over you.
And I pray that you are obedient to the voice of God.
I want you to be you, yes, of corse.
But even more importantly, I pray that you want to be less like you, and more like Jesus.
Oh, my Birdie.
Look at the Joy that you have.
I want to be like you, honey.
I love you more than words can say.
Happy Eight Months to the sweetest girl,
Mama
