Savor Olive Life

Dear Olive,

You are 7.5 months old and you are full of personality.  You keep us on our toes and time with you is flying by.  You are sitting up like a big girl and LOVE to be surrounded by toys.  You lunge and end up getting yourself stuck on your side or on your belly.  You aren't very interested in crawling and seem frustrated when we have you practice.  You much prefer standing and I think you like to see what is going on.  You get mad if you feel like you are missing out or being ignored even for a moment.  You are very grabby and have an impressive reach.  You lunge for things and we are always playing a constant game of keep our phones away from baby.  You still wear headbands and have yet to pull them off.  I'm hoping that you just love wearing them and think it's perfectly normal.  People compliment you on them and you smile shyly back.

 You also have great hand eye coordination and dexterity.  You can pick up tiny things and put them in your mouth.  You like to eat cereal puffs and especially like it when mommy feeds them to you.  You love to feel things and examine things with your hands.  We have to be very careful about what is in your reach because you want to put everything in your mouth.

 You continue to think that your toes are delicious and want access to them at all times.  You try to rip off socks and kick off most shoes.  Your gold baby moccasins are difficult for you to get off so you wear those most days.  You think me putting on socks on you is a fun game rather than a necessity.  I constantly see you with one sock on and am on the hunt for your other sock.  I've found them in the parking lot, in my pocket and hidden in your toys.

 You are a prim and proper lady.  You sit with your legs crossed a lot of the time and cross your legs when we feed you a bottle.  It cracks me up!  Oh and I also think your feet are adorable and love when you wear your baby jeggings.

Paci is never far from you.  We have it clipped to your shirt while you are awake and a few scattered in your crib.  You have mastered putting it in yourself and you think you are pretty clever when you put it in upside down or sideways.  We try to fix it for you but you just smile and bite down on it.  Silly baby.

You have perfected your grunt/baby growl.

We hear this when you aren't happy, want something you aren't getting or if we take something away from you.  You pucker out your lips and it's hard to take your anger seriously because you are making such a cute little face.

It's hard to spot in pictures but you are sprouting some new hair.  

It's brown and has just started sticking up a little bit.

 You love your baby exersaucer - thanks Aunt Haley - and spend lots of time bouncing, chewing and twirling around your sea of toys.  You think it's so funny to knock all of the toys off and it's become a game.  You knock it all off and I pick it up.  It keeps you busy for a while.

 You LOVE fruits and veggies.  We feed you and you like to help us with your very busy hands.  You often end up with a face covered in food and messy hands.  It doesn't seem to bother you.  We clean you up and give you your clean spoon so you can practice feeding yourself.  You seem to be eager to become more independent.

You are a smiley baby and we joke that we don't think it's possible for a baby to smile bigger than you do.  You seem to be so excited about things and love when we talk to you.  We make up silly songs, play peek-a-boo and make lots of goofy noises.  You are completely entertained and are confused when we try to multi-task giving you less than 100% of our attention.  Your Dad is thrilled that his large array of goofy noises is finally appreciated by someone at our house.  You try your best to imitate and spend your days saying da-da, ya-ya, bla-bla with an occasional ma-ma.  You are very drooly but no sign of any new teeth. 

 Baby girl, we are so lucky to have you!  It's hard to believe that we are approaching your 8 month birthday.  You just get sweeter and sweeter each day.  You've started reaching out for us and holding on for dear life.  We feel the same way about you and love a good snuggle from you.  We love you more each day.  

Love, Mom & Dad