Baby Kate is 8! (Months)

Tonight I was nursing this sweet little child to sleep and she was crying because her teeth hurt her, and it made me so sad. She is truly the sweetest, happiest girl and to hear her crying in pain just makes my heart hurt. She is typically as smiley as she is in this picture, if not more. She has a completely tender soul.

At 8 months, Baby Kate:

• Is tall! Wears 9-12 month onesies and clothes. Her jammies are 9 months but she is quickly getting too long for them-- tall girl!
• Sleeps a LOT better. She's started a routine of waking up just one time around 4am every night. It's pretty neat how consistent it is, and so much easier on Mama.
• Can pull herself up on things with a little help - and loves to stand while holding on to things. She can't stand without help yet, and she's not cruising on her own, but my guess is in another month we will just watch her go!
• Is growing more hair every day and it definitely has curls like her sister's. We will see if we get another crazy-curly girl (I hope so!)
• Loves the bath and everything calm -- soft music, soft lights, soft reading
• Is enjoying a ton of foods! We didn't do much puree with Kate- she went right to the solids. She prefers to feed herself so we have introduced all sorts of fruits, veggies, and even deli meats! She loves turkey and ham, and tonight she has a spaghetti dish with ground beef. She is really quite good at chewing even though she only has 2 bottom teeth ;)
• Wears size 3 diapers. It makes me laugh how little their diaper size changes in 2 years-- Kennedy is still wearing size 4!
• Is almost ready to switch out of her carseat carrier and into the next size, which is a rear-facing carseat. It will be crazy to be done with those carriers -- I can't believe how fast it went!
• Loves Callie- constantly wants to pull on her fur to give her love and kisses. She's also been around a few big dogs and loves them as well.
• Goes to bed a lot earlier- she needs to beauty rest! She goes to bed around 6:30 and sleeps for about 12 hours with 1 wake-up. She's also still taking 2 naps a day-- a decent size morning and afternoon nap. She still prefers napping with her Mama in the big bed.
• Soothes everyone else's soul. Everyone she encounters is immediately enchanted with this little personality. We can't believe how much closer we are to having another 1 year old in the house and are truly loving every day with our little Kate.

Baby Kate Update - 7 Months

7 months came and went for Baby Kate!

She continues to be the sweetest, calmest baby in all the land. One of the directors at the backup daycare she goes to recently told us that the entire center is happier and calmer when she is there, the teachers are happy and the babies are happy because of the calming effect she has on everyone! I just hope this continues into the toddler years and I love thinking about her as an older kid being that calming presence that helps everyone smile when she enters the room. I can just picture it now.

At 7 months, Baby Kate:

• Started to scoot/crawl! She is still fairly slow and only goes a little ways, but she definitely can get around on her tummy!
• LOVES Squigz, which are these rubber suction cup toys that are Kennedy's but she loves to scoot over to them every morning and chew on them. I think they help her with teething.
• Sleeps okay, but gets up a lot in the middle of the night. We're averaging 2-4 times/night for feedings which is certainly not ideal, but she is quick and goes back to sleep well if I feed her. :/
• Wears 6-9 month onesies and 9 month clothes for the most part, even some 12 month pants. She has long legs and definitely has chunky rolly legs, even though I'm pretty sure they are just baby legs and she will be petite like her sister when she's older.
• Is getting more hair! She took longer to get some serious hair but now it's growing (and she's got little curls on the ends when it's wet!)
• Loves baths and warm water. Also went swimming at Williston for the first time and really enjoyed it
• LOVES music. When I sing she turns her head towards me and smiles or laughs, and she really enjoys songs at ECFE. 
• Imitates us a lot. If we dance, she dances. If we smile, she smiles. She's super engaging with whoever is holding her and pulls herself in for kisses often.
• Is very dainty with her hands. She waves them back and forth in a very delicate manner, with her fingers pressed against each other and her palms rigid. It's super cute.
• Likes some solid foods but prefers to feed herself. She's enjoyed beans, puffs, mashed potatoes, sweet potatoes, yogurt melts, squash, banana, carrots, peas, and avocado so far.
• Loves to stand and does it pretty well. She can hold onto our hands and walk forward a few steps, but is still quite wobbly. But prefers to look at the world from standing position.

She is truly a light in our lives and we are so lucky and blessed that she's ours.