8 month love letter

Dear Hugh Robert,

This is my love letter to you.  I want to gush and mush all about you.  You are such a perfect little baby to me.  I adore everything about you. And when I say everything I mean it.  Every-THING.

Lately I have been in awe of your cute little pudgy hands.  They can do so much!  I can tell you are willing them to follow your silent commands to touch, reach, pound, move and squeeze.  Something I haven't shared with anybody (nobody, not even papa) is that I like to stare at your little thumbs. They have the cutest little wrinkles right at the knuckle.  Love 'em up!

I feel like I need you or my day is not complete.  Is that possible?  Your days are full of exploring, smiling, grunting, eating, sleeping and screeching.  You challenge me at night.  I spend hours (literally hour after hour) wondering what I could be doing differently to make each night go a little more smoothly.  I know it will happen, right Lou?

This last month you have conquered moving all over a room, but not yet on hands and knees. You like to rock on hands and knees, but you won't move forward yet.  You scoot on your tummy, left, right and backward.  If I take my eyes off of you for a second half of your body will end up under the couch.  Soon Hugh-soon you will catch that train.

It is very hard for me to remember life without you. I feel like you've just always been there. You love attention and will smile and giggle at anyone.  But you also have learned to use your voice.  You are screeching, babbling and grunting loudly.  You make sure to let me know you want another spoonful of food and that it is important that there isn't a single pause between bites.  You eat with your arms straight out in front of you (I don't think I could hold my arms out straight for that long) and you have started grooming, if food drips down your chin you very carefully take your index finger and swipe upwards.  Papa and I are wondering if you will be left handed.  You pick up puffs from your highchair tray with your right hand and very intentionally transfer it to your left hand.  Then, and only then, you can place that puff (or shove) right into your mouth.  

I love how you keep me grounded.  If I am struggling, you turn the day right around.  When your big brother is having a tough moment, you giggle and laugh so loud that everyone in the room has to join in.  I love that you still need me in so many ways.  When I walk through the room and don't pick you up, you grunt and cry.  I may groan myself but deep down my heart is beating out of my chest for you.  I want to pick you up just as much (if not more) than you want to be picked up.  I love your blond hair, blue eyes and squishy body.  You are a joy to hug because you have learned to wrap your arms right around me and squeeze. 

Ok and here is your newest skill. When the camera comes out, you turn into a big cheesy ham ball.  You know just what to do.  Big ol' smiles come out. But you don't know how to predict if or when the flash is going to go off. So you squint, peek and close your eyes ALL THE TIME.  I didn't get any good 8 month pictures this month because of that.  But I got a handful that made me laugh because of all your eye tricks. Check it out.

Ok Hughie, cheers to an exciting 8th month, moving on to the 9th month (I am guessing quite literally).
Love you a lot and all the time,
Mama