Eight Months of Smiles

Four words.  Sleep through the night.  Yes, my LillyBelle, you are finally sleeping through the night!  It started as 2-3 nights in a row, then a night or two of getting up (mostly when you were sick), but now you are pretty consistent about doing it - and mama is happy.  It's probably a combination of you figuring out how to roll over onto your stomach and being able to find your pluggie on your own.  Your favorite sleeping positions are your side and stomach, you rarely like to sleep on your back.  We also added breakfast to your solid foods, so you now eat fruit for breakfast, vegetables for lunch, and a meal for dinner.  For the most part, you eat whatever we give to you, but you aren't a fan of the garden vegetable mix!  You have started to experiment more with grabbing your own food, mostly puffs.  We also have started giving you small chunks of softer foods like bananas, avocados, and cooked carrots and sweet potatoes.  If you can keep them in your mouth, you usually like them.  You love to smile.  Just about everything brings a smile to your face, especially Evelyn.  She gets the biggest smiles and belly laughs out of you.  It's such a joy to watch the two of you grow together and become friends.  You are really starting to experiment with talking and figuring out what your voice can do.  You definitely let us know when you don't like something by blowing raspberries.  You also smack your lips when you are hungry.  It's very cute!  You started clapping this month and love to show off your new skill.  It's not uncommon to find you "dancing" to your own beat - bouncing your head and clapping.  You also got moved from your infant carrier to a rear-facing car seat.  I think your favorite part of being in that seat is being able to see your sister better.  Your personality is really starting to shine through and we can see that you are pretty laid back - until you want something!  Then you let us know!  We know you are getting close to becoming mobile, which will be a whole new world!  For now, though, you are a bundle of smiles and smooshes.  We love you, sweet Lillian!