River Flynn,

I’m having such a difficult time watching you grow up so quickly. Month 8 came and blindsided me more than I ever imagined it would. You’re such a baby in my eyes, but I have friends and family constantly showing me that you are growing to be a big boy every day. Virginia (our neighbor) watched you while I had our oil changed and sent me a photo of you in the push car of Shep’s from the backyard. I find myself wondering how on earth it never dawned on me that you could sit in there. Babies don’t sit in there! That’s for big boys. Well, you get my point…..

You’re 8th month was amazing. You’ve attempted to crawl (not textbook but you sure can scoot backwards and you took one good crawl forward that I got on video – Aug 21), you rode a horse at a birthday party (and smiled as always as big as possible while doing so), got your first tooth (Aug 1), and started taking regular baths with Shep (still in your bumbo though). You LOVE avacado, puffs, bites of Shep’s muffins, and all things food. You still find milk to be a snack a ton and prefer to graze over taking a full feeding every few hours. I’m sorry to report (for me) that you still wake up to eat once a night. Yes, we luck out and sometimes it’s as late as 5am or so, but to be honest the time varies from 1:30-4 most of the time and after eating you typically only sleep until 5:45 or 6 before you are up for the day. I’m really okay with it though bc you are so much fun in the mornings. You wake up with the biggest smile on your face and snuggle on the couch with me while I chug down the coffee to help me prep for a day with you and that monkey brother of yours. I know you’re so ready to be able to crawl from point A to point B and probably would have already been doing so if we had a bit more room to practice. I’ve put the hideous foam squares down to give you some more independence and practice, but you somehow manage to roll right off within a minute or two no matter how big I make the play area for you. I think the only way you would truly be content to practice would be in a gigantic foam room empty of everything (except a cell phone and remote of course). What is it with you and all things germ? It’s as if the most infectious things in our home are your catnip. Yuck!

Apart from the former, you’re the same happy baby you loves his brother, mommy, daddy, and doggy. You radiate joy and make everyone happy the moment you look into their eyes. Thank you for being our slice of baby heaven. Everything from your bald fuzzy head to your lovie and paci loving heart makes us need to pinch ourselves for being so lucky to have you. You are my very own living/breathing baby doll and I just adore every moment that I have with you.

Xx Mommy