WALKING!

Well, Lily, you've done it!

You're walking. No help, both hands full, sippy cup in your mouth, going full tilt. 7 or 8 steps at a time right now, but soon... running! Jumping hurdles! Skipping!

I can't believe how fast time has flown. Soon, you'll get to meet your aunt, uncle, and cousins. Soon, you'll be a year old. Soon, you'll be eating table food. It's going so fast! I can barely keep up. Daddy and I love seeing your little mind tick!

Look at how big you are getting. Soon, you'll be going to college, I'm sure!! Heh.

I love you, little Lillian!

Mommy Bug

Dear Little Lily,
I've been feeling under the weather lately, and the only thing that really cheers me up is your smile. You see, after giving birth to you I ended up fighting a nasty battle with Postpartum Depression and Postpartum OCD. All I ever wanted to do was protect you, help you grow, and keep you healthy. To do those things, I have to be healthy too! So I started taking medication. And today is the 5th day of not taking this medication... it's a hard road. But I want to be healthy and happy for you! The light is shining at the end of the tunnel, and I know I can do it.

I am thinking of introducing toast to you tonight. We eat lots of wheat bread in our house, and I think getting it toasted, cut up into sections and then spread with a little of your pureed baby food would be tasty. You are almost 8 months old now, eating so many things, moving around so much!

You still do not have any teeth. I am both thankful and anxious. Grandma tells me not to worry, and several of our friends had babies that didn't get teeth until 10 months and beyond, but I want to save you the pain and frustration of teeth erupting from your gums! There is nothing to be done about it, so we will just wait for that first little tooth, and celebrate it, as we have celebrated your other firsts.

I can't wait to see you when I go to pick you up from daycare. I love you!

Hungry Bug!

Dear Lilybug:

Right now, your favorite toy is the dog, Sway. You  seem to be fascinated with her tail, and it is the funniest thing! You really want to chew on her bones with her, which means the dog is constantly picking up whatever she was chewing on and moving out of your reach. She is very calm and patient with you, even when you grab her tail. I am sure Sway loves you- especially when you drop little scraps of food for her to eat!

Still no sign of crawling, but I know it will be any day now.

I love you, silly girl!!

Crawly-bug!

My little genius-

  You will be crawling soon. All week now, you've been rocking back and forth on your hands and knees. You can sit up by yourself, roll over, scoot and move around so fast! I am just amazed to see how much you have changed in 7 and a half months.  Look at this picture! You were so tiny. Any second, you will get up and walk, I am sure.  Time sure flies when you're having fun.

We're still breastfeeding, and I treasure that special time with you every day. You seem more interested in wiggling than eating these days, but I won't give up! I think your favorite toy right now is the little pink purse, and you have suddenly decided you like pacifiers again. You spent all week with Daddy, but I know you are probably excited to see your friends at day care again.

I love you very much. I can't wait to see where this week will take us!

Messy bug!

Hello, little Lilybug!

I think you have really gotten the hang of this whole self-feeding thing. I tried to feed you a little baby food for lunch today, and you tried to take the spoon out of my hand. You chattered away while I tried to shovel food in your mouth, splattering me (and the chair, and the floor, and the dog) with liquid chicken noodle soup. And this was just lunch!

So far, you have learned to feed yourself: sweet potato, broccoli, pasta with tomato sauce, avocado, banana, apple, cheerios, baby puffs, rice crackers, freeze dried yogurt... soon, when you decide to pop out a tooth or two, we will expand that list even more. I am so proud of you!

As I am writing this, you are doing your favorite thing- shouting 'DADADADADADA' at the top of your lungs, even though Dada went to go pick up lunch. I hope this name-shouting turns into closeness with your father, because this week you get to spend it all with him! Miss Kelly, your daycare provider, is on a much needed vacation, so it's Daddy-Baby time all week!

Uh oh, you've decided you need some attention. Oh, what was that? You said 'Mama' again!!

Little Lily, I love you so much.