Dear Audrey
You turned 8 months this week. This has been a big month for you. After months of teething, two bottom teeth broke through at the same time. You use these tiny little white nubs to chew through an amazing assortment of foods. I even gave you a bit of a peanut butter sandwich at the park yesterday and you mastered that like a champ. You know, I'm not supposed to give you peanut butter until your 1st birthday in the rare case that you might have a peanut allergy. I guess that is the thing about being a second child- mama is a little more relaxed this time around. For the record, you're not allergic.
You have also become very active this month, reaching and grabbing for everything in sight. When I wash the dishes, I leave them to dry on the counter top. Well, that may not be the best of ideas anymore because a few times this week, I've been holding you in the kitchen while attending to important chores (okay- let's be honest. I was making myself a vanilla latte on my home espresso machine. An essential item for any mother of 2 under 2!). In a split second, you reach for the drying dishes on the counter- you've knocked over a couple bowls, and also grabbed for the butcher knives! Yikes. Don't worry, mama thankfully has fast reflexes and grabbed your hand in time!
You started crawling this week, and also pulling up on your crib and play table. It's still a hesitant crawl, and you get very frustrated when something is just out of reach, but you're officially mobile. I used bribery to encourage you to move, by placing forbidden items just out of reach. You love my iPhone, in particular, so that works well as a bribery item, as do those baby snacks that look and taste like they are just re-packaged Cheetos.
You continue to be a content and easygoing baby. Yesterday at Target, no less than 4 people gushed, "What a HAPPY baby!. You were sitting in the shopping cart and grinning from ear to ear at everyone as they passed. And then we came home, and your grandpa had dropped by the house to say hello. You sat at the kitchen table with him while I put away the groceries, and giggled and played, and my heart felt like it might burst right out of my chest.
I love you, my sweet Audrey, forever and ever.
love, mama