8 months

Dear Emerson,

I know I start out each of these monthly letters by telling you "Oh, this is my favorite stage...... You are so wonderful at this age.....This is the best age so far...." or some other variable of that. But I swear, this time I mean it. At least until next month.

I am just loving every single about you (as if I didn't before, but still, I need to get that point across). I am finally starting to truly understand the concept of parental love. It manifests itself in so many ways, but I know for sure that I am a different person now as your mother than I was before, because of how little other things matter now that you're here. I just don't see how you could ever do wrong in my eyes. I know you'll make mistakes, and I may even be angry with you some day... I shudder at the thought. Darn you adolescence. But I can see how parents defend their children until kingdom comes, because that's what motherhood does to you. Your dad and I go to bed each night, look at your sweet face on the monitor, and give a contented sigh. Daddy says it best when he says "She is the best thing I've ever done - how did we do so good?" Some day you may think your parents are crazy, but just know that we made you, and that proves that we've done something right in our lives.

So what are you up to this month? Well, a better question would be "What are you NOT up to this month??" You are definitely finding your independence while also proving that you need/want your momma around. You have started to understand that when I leave for work in the mornings, you won't see me again until the early evening, and for the last week or so you've cried when I left, and I have to come right back and snuggle you up because it breaks my heart. I know 8-9 months is a typical range for separation anxiety, but I die a little inside when it happens. Luckily, you rebound quickly and then get to play with dada and your friends at daycare all day, and you come home with this big smile on your face.

Look at you, reaching out and tugging on my heart strings

You are becoming so mobile. You can go wherever you want now, and find unique ways to get there too. Your favorites are "worming," crawling backwards, stretching and rolling, or, your most favorite, having us "walk" you somewhere. You've been doing that for months now, but it seems like you're constantly reaching your tiny hands out to grab my fingers, and grabbing my fingers enables you to pull yourself up so you can walk somewhere. I think you've realized that "walking" is faster than crawling, so apparently that old adage "Before you can walk you have to learn to crawl" doesn't hold true in your case - a trendsetter already!! You can even stand while only using one hand, and you're getting really good at "cruising" along furniture.

 

You are just SUCH a happy baby. So happy. All the time. If you're not happy, it's because there is something very simple and easy that's upsetting your perfect balance (hungry, tired, missing mama) and once that's remedied, you're back to flashing that wide-mouthed grin. You also understand the difference between "Mama" and "Dada" and you melt our hearts into pathetic puddles when you reach your hand out and ask for us by name.

You're so curious. You want to see everything, touch everything, crawl everything, move everywhere. If there is anything in someone else's hands, you will claim it for your own. And most people oblige, because you're so cute. We may be buying Aunt Lindsay a new iPhone this month. But at least you're happy, right??

You're just so sweet. You love your family, you love animals, and you love exploring. You're calm but not shy. Just look at this picture. It looks like you're pondering the weight of the world, when really, I'm sure you were just looking at the neighbor's dog.

You're becoming such a good eater! I care alot about what types of food we give you, because I feel like it's my job to make you an informed, responsible healthy eater. You've never had jarred baby food. Between your grandma Bev and some late night oven cooking, we have enough homemade food to last you until you're 2. But we also recently started giving you finger foods, and I am so impressed with how quickly you picked it up. It took about a day, but now you can eat anything I put in front of you. Whole wheat pasta. Black Beans. Broccoli. You grab a handful and you gobble it right up! Who knows, maybe you won't be a picky eater as a toddler too?? <-- Wishful thinking, but we'll go with it.

You're a beautiful baby. Those blue eyes. That blonde hair. Those cheeks. Those pouty lips. I could stare at you all day. I don't know how you're my child. If I didn't actually give birth to you I would think that daddy found a supermodel to make a baby with.

Some days I wish I could freeze time and have you be my sweet 8-month old forever. But I can't, and I know it's for the best because I love watching you grow. Just know that whether you are 1 or 20 or 60, you will always be my baby, and I will work my entire life to make sure that you know love and feel love every single day.

Love,

Mama