Molly Is Eight Months Old

Dear Molly,

Month 8 has come and gone in an instant. You are now 8 months old! This month more than ever I have started to see the baby in front of me slowly melt away. In just 4 months you will be 1. We will have a 1 year old!? We have already started to plan your birthday party, but are trying desperately to hold on to these “baby days” because you’re becoming more of a little girl every single day.

Your monthly updates:

Personality:

It has been fun to see more of your personality come out this month. You are such a happy, playful kid, but you want what you want and you are determined to get your way. You do this thing where you hold out your hands, and you basically have ago at them. It’s hilarious to watch. You’re incredibly sassy! If Daddy goes ‘Ahhh’ you will quite happily copy and join in.

• Loud
• Loving
• Playful
• Sassy
• Sociable

Size:

I feel like you grow overnight. You’re growing so so fast! You are still in your 6-9 month clothing for the most part, but we have had to upgrade you to 9-12 month jammies and trousers. You’re just so long! I am currently building your Autumn/Winter wardrobe and I can’t wait to start dressing you in the outfits!  You are still in size 4 pull ups, we are looking at switching over to the Eco by Naty brand of nappies as they are more environmentally friendly!!

Health & Development:

One major development we have had, and I say major because it makes me super proud every time you do it, is dancing! You love to dance. It started when we were having lunch out before soft play and there was music playing in the restaurant. You were in a highchair and all of a sudden started to boogie! I didn’t know whether to laugh or cry! I filmed it, and we watch it back over and over. You now boogie every time you hear any kind of music. Its the funniest thing! Every month you amaze us with what you learn and pick up by watching others. You can now not only wave, clap and cheer, but you now dance, high five and give kisses. You give so many kisses. Granted, they are open mouth and very sloppy kisses, but they are kisses none the less.

I’ve noticed such a change in the way you play with your toys. You enjoy pulling all your toys out of the basket on at a time and chatting away to them as you do it. You’re now at the stage where you are quite happy being left to your own devices with your toys. We normally put something on in the background, Tv, Music etc. You LOVE Hey Duggee. As soon as you hear the characters, you start clapping, laughing and dancing. Movie wise, any Disney film ( just like your Mama) The Greatest Showman ( I used to listen to the soundtrack whilst pregnant with you – maybe that has something to do with it ) and Trolls. You LOVE the music in Trolls. I also think the fact that its a film full of bright colours.

Feeding:

You are still eating pretty well and will eat anything we give you. You have 3 meals a day as well as snacks. We can’t eat anything anymore without you wanting in on it! You will try anything. At the moment you have a few favorite foods:

• Peas
• Avocado
• Potatoe
• Spaghetti shapes

We are still offering you 3-4 bottles of 7-9oz everyday. Some days you drink it all, some days you dont. We have also started to introduce you to water or weak juice in a big girls cup! So far so good! We have been giving you a spoon at every meal time for a few weeks now, you are starting to understand what it’s used for and now attempt to try and scoop things up. 99.9% of the time the spoon is the wrong way round, and you get angry at it, but you’re still trying!

Sleep:

You are still sleeping through the night, despite all the teeth coming in at once. We still co-sleep with you every now and then. You would much rather sleep on your side or on your front than on your back. We recently upgraded your sleeping bag as you were getting too long for your old one. I still can’t believe how long you’re getting!

You are also still having 2 naps a day, one in the morning and one in the afternoon. you tend to wake anywhere between 7am and 8.30am with your first nap around 10/11am. You have a second nap around 2/3pm and then go to bed anywhere between 7.30pm-9pm. We dont force you to sleep in the evening. We know when you’re ready to sleep and when you’re not. It’s not worth all the upset in our opinion and this seems to work really well for us as a family.

Milestones:

• Standing up on your own if leaning/holding on something
• Taking a few steps when holding onto a grown-ups hand
• Learning how to dance, high five and give kisses
• You now have 8 teeth!
• Eating 3 meals a day as well as snacks!
• Imitating Adults
• You do this sniff thing which is so funny!
• Playing peek-a-boo
• You are close to using a spoon by yourself
• Being SO close to crawling!

Things you like:

• All the food.
• Frozen fruit
• Car rides. You sleep on long rides.
• Music. The louder the better. Disney, Musicals, You are still very fond of The Greatest Showman soundtrack. Clapping and dance and make happy noises!
• You love animals. You will reach out your arms to try and touch them!
• Bath time. A good’ol bubble bath is the best and you will sit and play for ages in the water.
• You like it when mummy and daddy have chats with you.
• You like The Trolls Movie, Hey Duggee, Something Special & anything Disney!
• Clapping, waving, high fives, giving kisses and cuddles.
• Attempting to escape any position you are being held in.
• You have a few toys you love – Bunny, Lamby and Owl.
• You love to water the garden with Grandad P.
• Reading books.

Things you don’t like:

• Having food taken away from you
• Mummy or Daddy leaving the room.
• Being taken out of the bath!
• Not being allowed to eat the remote control
• Being laid down when not ready to nap/sleep
• When you shimmy your way under your play pen and cant get out again!
• When you get told ‘No’.
• The inability to use a spoon!

Nicknames:

• Molly Molls
• Molly Moo
• Bug ( I call you this all the time)
• Beanie

Favorite photos from this month:

Mummy and Daddy love you to the moon and back Bug.

Always.

xxx