Eight is Enough (but keep going)

Happy eight months Holden.

While I've got loads of things piling up to blog about (green tips I've been collecting and loving, news on how much I heart my neighborhood food co-op, a re-cap of my date with your daddy at the swanky Metropolitan, and what is sure to be a soap box about a new breastfeeding doll introduced outside the states a few months ago); I really just wanted to make a few notes about your big day.

Can you believe eight months ago today you were born? I reread your birth story yesterday, and as always got a little water in my eyes thinking about the miracle that you are.

So eight months, eh?!?!?

Let's talk about what you like:

• crawling -- you are getting so fast!
• plastic bottles -- seriously, like Daddy's used Gatorade bottles are some of your favorites
  
• plugs, chords and what seems like anything that represents a choking hazard (this makes mommy anxious all day long!)
• plums -- we made baby food from our two plumbs trees, and you especially like them mixed with gala apples
• the vacuum -- whether it's turned on, or I just roll it out of the closet
• your *elmo toilet seat YOU picked out at Babies R Us (you may not remember this, but we tried to get you a fancier-more-expensive one, and you just kept pushing it away and reaching for the cheaper Elmo version... what a bargain shopper you are!!!)
  
• the red curtains to the sun room
• the tree swing that hangs from the elephant heart plumb tree
  
• Discovery Gateway, the Children's Museum -- which is especially cool as Daddy and Grandpa are on their board.
• sliding the neon frisbee by Daddy's closet, his wicker basket and playing with Daddy's pull-up bar (which begs the question, how much use is Daddy getting from his pull-up bar when it's on the ground?)
• Shoes, shoelaces, flip-flops... maybe you'll get a sales job at Nordstrom and can hook your mommy up.
  
• While you're not as in love with your baby Ganesh rattle, you do love your ganesh toothbrush
• When Daddy throws you in the air
• Playing with your cousins
  

What you loathe:

• having your pants or your clothes changed -- diaper, sweat pants, socks, shirts, onesies .... you name it. Having to stop or laydown for anything makes you cranky!!!
  
• Naptime when you're over-tired (which is usually my fault because I pretty much have you en tote everywhere)Rice Cereal/potatoes = unless mixed with plumbs and then maybe you'll partake if I'm sneaky enough
• That I won't let you play with chords, choking hazards, etc... sorry kiddo, but someday you'll thank me for this...
  

What you're working on:

• pulling up to standing by yourself -- with the aid of a table, ottoman, hat box etc (you have ninja like fingers that boggle the mind)
• going potty (*yes, you are getting better at using the toilet and telling mommy and daddy 'when' it's time -- we love it because we are using soooo many less diapers and hardly have to change poopy diapers... which Mommy really LOVES -- especially since you've been eating more solids.)
  
• sounds - I love it when you make noise and sound like you're talking. It seems like you have so much to say -- I am excited to understand you better.
• Down Dog - it's pretty good actually... you're quite a flexible little yogi too...

• *Just for the record -- those of you who don't EC or are not familiar with it -- we just started 'trying' it out in September and it's been really cool to try and read Holden's signals for using the toilet. (I know it sounds crazy -- I think it sounds crazy as I type it). But I got that book "Diaper Free Baby" from the library and tried out a few of their suggestions (they recommend starting as a newborn, but they have a section for 6 months and older too...) We're just doing it part time, but it's been another cool step in the process of learning about how our little guy communicates. Plus anyone that knew Holden as a newborn will remember that he needed his pants changed about a billion times a day!