Norah at 8 months

You turned 8 months old last week. I think I said a few months ago you were a slow to smile kid, well that has changed. You are all bubbly smiles and laughs now. You have this little giggle you do. Well, it's really more like a half-giggle. But it makes me laugh to hear it. Sometimes its in response to us saying something (often completely random) and sometimes its just to yourself as you play. But bring out your brother and sister and its full belly laughs. And you did great on our trip. You let everyone hold you and were so happy to see all the new faces.

We have had some tears though. You have gone from a great napper to a really awful one. At least when daddy is not around. For daddy, you will fall asleep in his arms and then transfer to your bed like a little angel and sleep for hours. For me, you will fuss and flop and cry and finally give up and sleep - for 20 minutes! I think you just need to transition from 3 naps to 2 and we'll be okay but its hard to keep even a regular nap schedule going when you travel, let alone try to adjust one. Yesterday I gave up on your morning nap completely and we just left early for our play date at the creek so you could fall asleep in the car but we were out swimming for a long time and when we got home, you protested for a little while but eventually took a nice nap for me. So it is possible! We will persevere!

I'm happy!

Just kidding, I'm incredible overtired but have barely slept all day because daddy is gone. 

You can't make me sleep ! Or maybe I will just stop here in the middle of crawling and pass out asleep. Just don't think of moving me, touching me, leaving the room or even looking away or I'll be up again. 

Blueberry picking. Didn't want to eat the blueberries but thought the dirt was quite yummy. 

But despite the lack of sleep, you've got lots of energy. You have places to go and things to explore (the cat food, the house plant's dirt). You really mastered stairs last week at Grandma and Grandpa's house and are starting to let go when your pulled up. Just for a second or two then you grab again but you make a face that says you know what your doing and are pretty proud of it.

You went swimming for the first time last week too and loved it. Especially when you could splash. You'd get water all over your face, stop and blink then smile and do it again, and again, and again. 

You are starting to enjoy books a little more. And games.You love pat-a-cake, "so big" and itsy bitsy spider. You don't really care about baby toys but you love my phone and any little tiny toy of your big siblings. And you love it when they are super loud in your face. It drives me crazy but I have a hard time telling them to stop when it makes you smile. Now that you are getting bigger, we're having a bit of trouble with you getting too much love from Jonah but you hold your own pretty well. 

Shakespeare in the park 

Though she be little, she is fierce.

You have two teeth now and you use them. You love to eat. Finger foods, purees, any body part of others you can get in your mouth. Watch out! You want your three meals a day just like the big kids. You want to be just like them. I want you to stay little for just a bit more. How about we compromise and you can get bigger but stay my baby :-)

Baby selfie!