She's 8 months. 8 MONTHS!

Dear Sydney,

Today is January 29, 2010, which means that you are 8 months old today. I really cannot believe it. I still feel like I should be laying you in the sun to rid you of your jaundice, or swiping your belly button with alcohol wipes.... that time has passed. And as exhausted as I was those first few weeks, I miss you being so tiny. SO tiny. You wore preemie clothing your first couple of weeks, and have now soared into 9 and 12 month clothing. I still can't get shoes on your feet, much to my dismay, but you know, it's okay. I adore those tiny chubby little feet you have. You giggle endlessly when I kiss them.
And while you are still very dependent on me, your independence is starting to break through. You try to sit up every chance you get, and want to play with your toys without our help. You are starting to want to grab the spoon when I feed you... but you can't quite master the spoon to mouth issue with the food intact. However, it's very amusing to watch you try. You have determination written all over your face, it's priceless.
You aren't crawling yet, but roll over constantly. When you are on your belly (which you don't like to be very much) you push your butt up in the air and bend your knees, so you're trying! You will get there soon! Mommy is very guilty if hindering your crawling abilities. I give into you non stop. You love to be held, and I indulge you in that constantly. I very rarely let you sit and cry, I just can't stand it. You are so pitiful when you cry that it breaks my heart. You know just how to get picked up too... just look at me with those big blue doe eyes and crrrryyyy, and here runs Mommy. As soon as I pick you up, you're done. You're happy. You silly girl.
You have mastered picking things up. You can pick any of your toys up, and pass them from hand to hand, of course, with a trip to the mouth in between. You love these plastic little fish that we have... supposedly for bath time, but you play with them all day long. Every now and then, something on TV will catch your attention, and you watch intently for a minute or so. You are just so curious; and I love watching you try to figure things out. I wish I knew what was going on in your brain when you are trying to figure out how to open a toy phone, or figure the dog out. What is that thing whining at me? Why does that thing make noises when I pull on this?
You smile constantly. Your happiest time is still morning right when you wake up. You are full of giggles and smiles; and no matter how tired I am, that's always my favorite part of the day with you. You are very ticklish on your back, and love when we "get" your thighs. You squeal with delight. Sometimes you bust up laughing at the most random sounds. If someone has been recording me, I'm sure they think I'm nuts for the silly noises I make at you. If one makes you laugh, I will do it for hours until you're worn out. Just hearing your giggle makes my day complete.
You also got your ears pierced right before Christmas. You were such a champ. You cried for all of 5 minutes... by the time I was done paying, you were just fine! You look so sweet with them! You don't even mind it when mommy cleans them, you sit there so still.
You have found the tops of your ears, your toes, and just recently your diaper. You haven't pulled it off yet, but you love touching it and grabbing at it, so I know it won't be long and I'll walk in to a naked baby. =) You have also found mommies hair, and get handfuls many times per day and pull and pull and pull. You are also catching on to waving. You watch us intently as we teach you, and eventually, one by one, your figers start working into waving.
Bath time is your all time favorite. You can be the fussiest you've ever been, and as soon as I stick you in the sink for your bath, you calm right down. You love playing with your fishes and duckies in the bath, and have a new found love of splashing. So when you get your bath each night, so does mommy. And the floor. And the counters. Everything around the sink is just soaked, it's so funny. And watching your reaction when you splash yourself in the face is hilarious.
You got your first double ear infection this month. You were running such a high fever that I took you to the doctor right away. I'm glad I did because your ears were infected. How miserable you must have been. You reacted badly to the antibiotics they gave you, so they ended up giving you a shot instead. That took care of it right away, and you started feeling better in no time.
You still are not sleeping through the night, and while I am utterly exhausted from sleepless nights, secretly I love the cuddle time we get each time you wake up. I think I might actually miss those couple hours each night.
You are still nursing, but also are eating solid foods. Your favorite by far is the sweet potatoes. You hate the applesauce, and are also not fond of the meat. I bought you "Biter Biscuits" yesterday for your teething, and you were in heaven. You were a complete mess, but you loved them!
Your vocabulary consists of "Dada", "Nana", and "Bubba." You have yet to say Mama, but I know you are saving the best for last. ;o)

You are such a joy, Sydney. You are so beautiful and so sweet. Your hugs and "kisses" melt my heart, and your smiles light up my day. The sound of your laughter sends my heart soaring. I couldn't have gotten any luckier with you. I love you baby!

Love,
Mommy