8 Months!

Dear Meerkat,

So, Mommy is late posting this again... but I blame it on being behind last month because of our being sick.

Eight months - can it be? How have these months flown by so fast? I was looking at videos and pictures of you as a tiny, newborn baby, and I can barely remember you being so tiny. Your small, thin legs; your little chubby cheeks; your balding hair. Now, you're a long, happy, curly-headed little girl. You look so old to me now, compared to those pictures.

You're so much fun this month (well, you've always been fun... but you interact more now). You love to play, and you will play with Mommy and Daddy for as long as we'll let you. You even let Mommy play with you. You're my living doll sometimes. In fact, I went to put a bow in your hair one day, and couldn't stop myself...



I got carried away! You were just so peaceful about the whole thing. You didn't even mind that I was messing with your hair. (Just know, I never took you in public like this... this was only for around the house... oh, and online :p)

This month, you've taken to crawling backward. And, you spin around and around to get where you want to go. You don't have much interest in getting places though. You just kind of chill wherever you are, and you're happy to sit in your playpen or on our laps.

I don't know how much longer that will last, but let me take this moment to say just how much I love those moments. There is nothing in this life better than snuggling with you. Sitting in the recliner, cradling you, rocking you, looking into your big brown eyes, stroking your hair -- those moments are HEAVEN, pure and simple. I dread the day that you start to roll and pull away from me to go play on the floor or to just be independent, because I know those moments won't come back again.

Speaking of snuggling and love, you've started doing this cute thing when you get excited. If Daddy makes a funny face at you, or makes you laugh, while Mommy's holding you, you will turn your face into my shoulder real fast and snuggle into me while laughing. It's so cute I could just pass out from the cuteness. :)

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This was the month of "on the verge." You were so close to doing everything: crawling, pulling up, getting into a seated position from laying down, etc. You could get up on your hands and knees and rock back and forth; you could grab furniture and pull yourself a little off the ground, you could roll back onto your hip from your stomach... but you were just short of actually completing those tasks.

This was also the first month that we've had nice weather since you were a tiny, tiny baby. So, we were able to take you to the park. You LOVED the swings, just like mommy. They were always my favorite part of the park.



You're still super smiley. Everything is funny to you. Daddy especially makes you giggle. You love everything he does. You're a daddy's girl for sure.



Mommy is away working a lot, but when I walk in the door you smile and laugh. It's so nice to see you so happy to see me. You laugh at TV. Specifically, you like the "reading of the will" commercial for some cable tv or satelite... I don't really even know what it's an ad for, but you think it's great.

When it comes to TV, there are certain things you love. You love Nick Jr. I'm happy to see you enjoy it so much, but there are some shows that I just can't stand. Do.r.a the E.xpl.orer and Di.e.go are two shows that get under my skin. They repeat themselves so much that it drives me crazy! They're great ideas for a show... but really... if I hear "I'm the map" one more time... !!! What you really like are the end credits of shows, and not just Nick Jr. You like the end credits of all TV shows. It's a strange thing to like, but if the end credits to a show come on, you stop everything to watch them. You won't even turn when we yell for you while the credits are rolling. I'm not sure what you like about them. It's cute, and I'm glad to write it out and have a record of it for you to see someday.

My sweet girl, you've stolen my heart more than you will ever be able to know. I wish there was some way for me to take this love I have for you and put it in your heart for one minute... just long enough for you to always know how connected, attached, in love I am with you. I would do anything for you... absolutely anything.