Grady - 7 and 8 Months

Grady is growing up way too fast for my liking!  I can't believe he's already 8 months old.  Our little man can certainly bring a smile to anyone's face, and I think he getting sweeter by the day.  Here's a few new facts:

 

* Sitting up...finally!  This milestone occurred pretty much at 7 months.  He took his sweet time with this skill preferring to roll around or lounge instead.  I didn't really like to work with him on it because doing so turned Grady into a spit-up machine, but, such is life with Grady.  Grady went from needing support to being very steady quickly.  I love watching him sit with his back so straight - wish my posture was that good!

 

* Turning in circles and mastering the superman or parachuting stance (see blurry picture below).  I'm assuming these poses are helping with muscle development of some kind???  Otherwise, I've noticed Grady's started getting a knee under him on occasion, and if I help him get into crawling position he can hold it for a bit.  I wouldn't be surprised if crawling doesn't happen till 10 months or so though - why bother when you have two sisters who entertain you and bring you anything you need!  Grady also likes to stand up; I'm thinking that crawling and pulling up on anything and everything will be very close accomplishments.

* Grady's temperament is amazing.  He's just a sweetheart all around.  He's very smiley and doesn't really show much "stranger anxiety" at all.  Grady's a happy little guy and is generally easily entertained.  The only time he gets really sassy is when he's hungry, and even then, it's only if I set him down without feeding him first!  I think it's safe to say that Grady is a bit of a momma's boy, and I will also say that I like that!  Nothing makes me happier than to see his face light up and to see his arms lift up to me!

* Grady LOVES his sisters!  I can get a true giggle and an occasional giggling fit, but the girls can get them all the time!  I'm amazed at how much Grady seems to like getting carted around by his sisters - sometimes I catch myself telling them to give him some space when he's actually just loving it.  Grady likes to show his affection toward Liv and Grace with slobbery kisses, squeals, and hair pulls.

* Is really starting to babble a lot.  Our main sounds are squeals of happiness, squacks of annoyance when he's not getting attention the way he wants it, da-da, ba-ba, na-na, and maybe ma-ma (but this may be wishful thinking).  Grady also likes to blow bubbles...frequently when he's eating his baby food which gets rather messy as you can imagine.

* Speaking of food, Grady pretty much does every kind of baby food - though he does turn up his nose at some kinds.  His favorites are fruits and anything orange.  He's also showing a ton of interest in real food and will grab at anything.  He's gotten really good at picking up cheerios, puffs, and yogurt bites and getting them successfully into his mouth.  I imagine this month will mark more "real" food.

* Grady's still nursing, too.  He's a speed eater which is convenient, and both of us don't mind having time to sit and cuddle together.  I have offered Grady some formula just to see if he'd take it...but he won't...even when I mixed 4 ounces of breast milk with 1 ounce of formula.  I'm not sure how this will all work when I go back to work - we'll just have to be flexible, and I'll have to trust that he'll eat when he's hungry.

* As of today, I can feel two more teeth coming in.  Grady has all four of his top teeth coming in right now.  And, while I can tell they have bothered him at points and we've had a couple of rougher nights, overall, he's been great.  As my mom said this weekend, "He's the only baby I know who teeths happy."

 

* As far as nights go, Grady's doing pretty well.  He still often gets up around 10:30, but then usually does a 5-hour stretch.  He's doing better at self-comforting too, so I have to remind myself to wait before heading in to his room because sometimes he'll just settle down without me which I know I need to encourage.  Grady likes to sleep on his side now, although he's probably just as often on his tummy or back.  Overall, I'm content with where we're at right now and can imagine doing this with school in the future...although I fully admit that I hope he'll transition into getting up just once at night before long!

 

* Grady's a great napper - he usually takes 2 hour and a half naps a day with one of them often being longer.  He's pretty much given up his evening snooze which is fine because it was becoming more effort than it was worth to get him to go down for this.  Because of this though, bedtime is definitely at or before 7 (though he's a tropper about staying up later if necessary).

* What else...I'll cram all the odds and end in one last paragraph.  I'm guessing Grady is about 17 pounds (basing this off a clothes/diaper on weigh-in at the doctor's when he came down with a double ear infection).  He enjoys sitting in the stroller and in the grass, has tried the pool three times without any complaints, has suffered through a few bouts of constipation solved with a little apple juice/water mixture, likes playing hide-and-seek, waves at people by shaking his entire arm and upper body, loves his baths and now likes to sit up during them, and will put anything and everything in his mouth.

I think that about does it!  I can't tell you how much I love our little Grady - I don't even remember what life was like without him and am so grateful for all the joy he's brought into our entire family's life!