Letters To Tory: Eight Months

Tory Bean,

As if it was even possible, life with you becomes more wonderful every single day. You're starting to feel less like a baby and more like a little girl with one spunky personality. This month you started waving "hi" to people and especially to Chloe the dog. Sometimes, especially after a nap when you're in a great mood, you'll even say "hi" in your own gibberish language. Although the pronunciation isn't quite right, I know that's exactly what you're saying. It's too cute for words!

Speaking of Chloe, she's quickly becoming your new best friend (although I'm not sure she'd say the same about you). When we ask you "where's Chloe?" you twist and turn all around trying to look for her in her usual spot on the couch. If you hear Chloe's footsteps down the hallway while we're trying to put you down for a nap, our chances are over. You'll pop right up to see what Chloe's up to.

Mostly, you have a friendly, outgoing personality and you'll flash a great big smile to anyone who shows you attention. I say mostly because you aren't very fond of elderly people and startle when men talk to you without letting you warm up to them first. (Daddy says he's just fine with your fear of men, by the way. At least until you're 30, that is). I feel so bad for your great-grandmas who always want to hold you. Is it their gray hair? Perfume? The sound of their voice? I'm not exactly sure but I hope you warm up to them soon. They love you so much!

Developmentally, your mind is growing by leaps and bounds. One of your favorite things to do these days is lift each toy out of a basket, examine it and throw it over your shoulder. You can create quite the mess around you! Recently, you're very interested in blocks and balls that fit perfectly in the size of your hand. I can't wait for you to discover how those blocks and pieces fit through the shapes on the top of the bucket.

This month has definitely been your most active. You're quite the wiggly worm! You roll from tummy to back and back to tummy constantly and can even scoot backwards on the hardwood floor. You're not crawling yet, but I think you're close. As of now, you seem content to roll to your destination. Thankfully, one big change I've noticed this month is your ability to stand on your legs without jumping up and down. For a while there, I thought you might bounce your way through life!

These days, you weigh 15.5lbs and are 26 3/4 inches long. You're wearing 9 months clothes but are quickly moving into 12 month sizes, which I'm excited about (there's a closet-full of adorable dresses, sandals and sun hats just waiting to be worn). You eat three meals of solids a day, but are only interested in purees. I gave you a mum-mum cracker the other day and it's seriously the only thing I've seen you refuse to put in your mouth!

We celebrated your first Easter in Nebraska this month and you wore the most adorable pink sailor dress. It's hard to believe next year you'll be hunting for Easter eggs with your cousins!

A few of your favorite things this month are bath time (which happens quite often these days as smearing food in your hair is also a favorite past time), stroller rides around the neighborhood, your jumperoo swing, books (particularly those with flaps that lift or ones with different textures) and Daddy. Oh, how much you adore your daddy, little girl. The biggest gummy smile goes to him every single time.

Happy 8 months, baby girl!