Assume the Perpendicular

Happy 8 months, baby girl!

You are getting so big. Some days it seems like you grow an inch or two just in your sleep. 

Here are just a few things that I love about 8 month old you:

• You have started initiating smiles. Nothing warms my heart more than when I look at you and you smile at me. Throughout the day you give me these sweet smiles all on your own, and it feels like you’re reminding me to enjoy the present moment and smile too.
• You are either really friendly or really afraid of strangers, depending on the day. Sometimes you are all smiles and make friends with everyone around you. Other times you give people blank, serious stares and put your head on my shoulder.
• You like to sit on the floor and play with your toys, but only if I sit on the floor with you. If I stand up, you immediately whine at me until I sit back down. 
• You really love bedtime. In fact, you love it so much that sometimes it makes you hyper for a few minutes, until the tiredness eventually wins out. We will all get in to bed and as soon as you know what is coming you’ll laugh and make excited, anticipatory noises. I’ll start to nurse you, and then after a few minutes you’ll pull off and start chatting and smiling at Daddy and me. It’s like you just love having us all close and together.
• You now sleep without being swaddled, and sometimes during the night you wake up, touch my face, and then go back to sleep. 
• You love to blow zerberts on any bit of exposed skin you can find. Arms, shoulders, bellies, legs. All skin is fair zerbert game for you! You also like to receive zerberts. After blowing on your belly since you were a newborn, it finally makes you laugh!
• Books are becoming some of your favorite toys. You love to open them up and attempt to turn the pages, but you aren’t very good at it yet. 
• When you get excited or are being silly, you yell and straighten both of your arms out in front of you, with your hands curled into little fists. It’s hilarious! It’s like your little body just can’t contain all of your energy. 
• You love going to the park and swinging. You start to laugh as soon as I put you in the swing, and giggle and squeal the entire time.

I love you so much, and every morning I wake up happy, eager to spend another day with you. You are my light. You are my sunshine. You are my whole world.