I think the time between posts seems so short because I don’t blog nearly as much as I used to. It seems like blogging has taken a back seat with so many involved social media platforms. I mean — hello — I didn’t use Snapchat until like a month ago and now I’m obsessed with it (username: Ericka81). It’s a whole new thing that even makes me way less interested in Instagram.
Anyhoo, here we are at 8 months with this beautiful, bright, wonderful boy. He gets better everyday, as those of you who follow me on social media know 🙂
Weight: Unknown, haven’t been to the doctor for 3 months!
Sleeping: Isn’t that always the question? Well, we had a very lucky couple of months awhile back and then things changed. We are still quite lucky though it’s hit or miss depending on the day. Some night, he sleeps all night waking up with only a cry or two but falling back asleep without needing us to come in. Other nights he’ll wake up twice around 11 and 3, and need us to rock him back to sleep. Usually, 3am requires a bottle. But there’s no pattern so I have no clue when it’s coming. Either way, he’s a pretty good sleeper compared some stories I’ve heard. I usually wait about 5-10 minutes before going into pick him up from crying in the middle of the night, just to make sure he’s really awake. As for me, well, I don’t sleep as well as I used to in general because I’m always thinking he is going to wake up and my sleep patterns are all over the place. Oh well!
Food: Same as last month — still on mostly formula, about 30oz a day plus one thing of organic baby food. I’m told around 9 months we will be switching to more “real” food. Bottles are so easy, I’m kind of not looking forward to it! However, it is always fun to watch him try new flavors! I’ve enjoyed giving him a lick of my ice cream cone, a bite of egg or small bit of things I’m eating recently. He makes the best facial expressions.
Daycare: Jacob is still in daycare 3 days a week for about 7 hours each day. Yes, I still hate dropping him off. However, I feel very productive and fulfilled with my job, and do not waste time because I don’t want him in daycare for me to hangout and relax 🙂 I take him in around 8:30am and Rick stops to pick him up around 3:15pm each day. I’m considering going full time so I can have flexilibity on days and time but it’s a lot more money so I am not quite ready.
New Things: Jacob is now crawling! He’s not hands and knees mobile but more like an Army crawl scoot. It has literally developed just in the last week. He can get around pretty good and goes straight toward cords, cups and everything that is not a toy or meant for him. Of course! Since Rick got outlet covers pretty much the week we found out I was pregnant, we were covered there. However, soon, we’ll buy gates for the stairs as well. He also went swimming in the big pool for the first time and loved it!
Attitude: This kid is happy! People always comment that he is so peaceful and smiley — it’s true. I feel like I got the best kid in the world. Of course I would love him no matter how he was but I know that I have a dream baby in some ways. He wakes up with smiles and as long as he’s not tired or hungry, he is content, ready to explore, laugh and be a big goofball. He’s determined and always ready to play with us.
Likes: Silly mouth noises, singing the “Jacob Michael” song, my hair and pulling it :), playing with sunglasses, playing with anything that makes “crunchy” noises, standing up (with help of course), being turned upside down and lifted up and down, Eskimo kisses, kisses on his feet and hands.
Dislikes: Diaper changes seem to be getting a negative lately, being put into car seat but only for a brief second, when he isn’t allowed to tear up and suck on the pages of my books or magazines :), being woken up before he’s ready (like when his afternoon nap was going on 2+ hours but was gonna affect bedtime majorly!)
Firsts: Like I said above…first time in the big pool. Also, first time at the Zoo! We went to the Dolphin Show and he was mesmerized, didn’t give us one ounce of trouble. He seemed to enjoy the zoo. He loves being anywhere where lots of people or kids are. Extrovert in the making?
He also had is first July 4th and got to spend time with his Great-Aunts, older cousins and lots of great family visiting from Florida!
It seems to me like Jacob gets more joyful each day. I feel how much he loves Rick and I, as he wants to climb all over us and be as close to us as possible. Yesterday when we got into the cold pool, he clung to me because he was scared. It was the first time he’d ever showed that kind of attachment. I kinda of loved it 🙂 He looks up at our faces with pure wonderment and love, it’s the best feeling in the world.
I think about how one day he’ll be older and we’ll just be his dorky parents but I will still think of him as my little baby boy. I truly cherish every moment, knowing that I will someday want these days back. I look at his innocent little body and think about how there are children in the world that don’t know this kind of love. It breaks my heart to know that…to imagine that somewhere there are 8 month old babies being neglected, hurt, scarred for life. I want to protect and save them all but I can’t. All I can do is be the best mom I can be to this one little miracle boy I’ve been given. He’s getting everything my husband didn’t get and I think about that constantly. I had such a blessed childhood but Rick didn’t. He was one of those little babies that didn’t get what Jacob is getting and that’s why he’s such a great, conscientious, protective & loving Dad.
Life has never moved so fast or felt so short as it has since Jacob was born. In the movies, they always have people saying, “Do you have kids?” when it comes to whatever tragic or scary situation is at play. Now I get why they always say that. Because when you have kids, the whole world is tinted differently. I always hated when people said things like that…and I don’t mean life gets meaning when you have kids. I just mean…everything is 10x more terrifying and you can finally comprehend what it means to know without a doubt you would do ANYTHING to protect this one, little person forever and ever.
I love you far more than I ever knew was possible, Jacob.
For you who like videos, here’s one from this month: