8 months

I cannot BELIEVE another month has flown by and our sweet boy is already 8 months old. I keep thinking about how far away his birthday is but in actuality it will be here before we know it. Max has continued to enrich our lives this month in so many ways! This month he really slowed in growth and therefore we didn't move him up in clothes or diapers (a welcome relief to his pound a week days). He weighed 21 pounds and 8 ounces exactly on his 8 month birthday. All of that extra weight has made moving a little slow for him but towards the end of the month he began to scoot more and tolerate tummy time a bit more. In the beginning of the month he rolled from back to tummy for the first time! After that it just continued to happen more and more frequently and with more ease. However, tummy time has continued to be a battle and now that he rolls ONTO his tummy he just ends up upset that he's there. HAHA! One thing at a time I suppose!

One thing that changed this month was how he sleeps. Not duration or location, but HOW. He now sleeps on his tummy with his legs tucked and his little butt up in the air. It's the cutest thing! He's also ALL over the crib with his legs and arms dangling out, on his side, tummy, and back. I'm thankful that it's taken this many months to get to this phase because even two months ago it would have made me terribly nervous, but now I feel confident that he can move enough to avoid getting stuck in any one position in his sleep. His increasing strength amazes me!

Max's love of Gracie has really surfaced this month along with his vocal capabilities. He squeals with delight when Gracie comes in the room and he looks for her when he enters the living room. He loves being near her and "petting" her (aka - grabbing and pulling her hair). Grace has astonished us with her patience and love for Max. Max has honed in on the "B" sound, and we hear "ba-ba-ba" a lot around here! He's also starting the "P" sound very softly and I think "puppy" may be among his first words.

Keep on smiling, Maxton! It makes the world a happier place! We love you and couldn't ask for a brighter, more loving baby boy.