eight months.

the duder is eight months old!  he's cuter and more lovable every single day.  i adore this boy.  

physical: our big guy is thinning out a little bit.  he is still super dense and roll-y, but he's starting to get more boy and less baby in the face.  still just the two bottom teeth.  we see the urologist in a week or so, so i'll get a weight update, but i'd think he's got to be 21-ish.  drooly as can be.  

likes: food.  emme.  cuddling.  nursing.  rolling.  sitting.  food.  laughing.  tickles.  reading.  such a happy kid these days.  did i mention he loves food?  singing.  

dislikes: hollis can get frustrated with trying to go from lying to sitting, but i found him sitting up and grinning in his crib this morning, so i think he's about got that mastered.  really, there's not much he doesn't like except diaper rash.  ha.  

biggest achievement of the month: new consonant sounds!  he's saying lalalala and occasionally some other sounds (maybe ta and da?).  he's doing tons of experimenting with noises right now, so that is super fun.  

biggest challenge of the month: the diarrhea/diaper rash fiasco of 2013 was a big challenge.  he hated it, i hated it.  it was rough.  but our relationship is stronger for it.  haha.  

nicknames: the main one right now is my duuuuuude.  also, emme calls him lil bro, which is adorable.  a frequent phrase around here: "be easy, lil bro".  

sleep: yesssss.  i wouldn't say we're in the clear, by any stretch of the imagination.  but, we have successfully achieved several full nights of sleep.  as in, going to bed at 7ish and waking up after 5.  this morning it was 6:30.  my life is beginning to resemble something i remember instead of a crazy salvador dali painting.  

temperament/personality: sweetest little boy of all time.  he just wants to love on everyone.  he's so smiley and giggly.  

eating: oh man can my kids eat.  i love it.  hollis is taking after his big sis in the food department.  he eats it all, now.  and i mean shovels it into his mouth with authority.  we've crossed into the place where when he's "hungry" he wants food, not nursing.  it's bittersweet, but i'm thrilled - especially with his love of fish, eggs, and veggies.  

motor development: lots of strides this month - especially in the last few days.  he's getting up onto all fours and rocking and scooting backwards (crawfishing).  he's rolling like a champ and pivoting everywhere.  he sat up independently this morning, so i'm guessing we are moments away from that being a core skill.  he's diapering while standing when at school, so i'm about to move his operation to the bathroom like we did for emme - probably in another couple of weeks.  crazy how fast all this stuff happens. 

pictures to come!