8 Months

Well that month just came and went, didn't it? Here's the latest of Baby O:

• We've been concerned about Olivia's weight for the last couple of months. She dropped from the 10th to the 3rd percentile around 6 months and we've been trying to fatten her up ever since. I guess the work has paid off because at our last weight check with the pediatrician we discovered that she is not only gaining weight, but she has, in fact, returned to the 10th percentile!!! The doctor told us last month that when babies drop down to a new bell curve, they usually don't return to their original until around 18 months. We had noticed the last few weeks that her thighs were getting chubbier and she actually has a double chin, and now we know she's back on track, too! Who knew you could get so excited about baby fat! I'm so thankful that she's doing well again!!!
• She's our little social butterfly...she's starting to wave at people more and more and at church someone reached out to shake my hand and she stuck her hand out before I could.
• I don't know if it has something to do with nursing or what, but she has to have her fingers in her mouth while she eats. She'll remove them and open her mouth for another bite and then in they go again. Then her new favorite thing is to flick them out and launch ABC juice across the kitchen. Between that and the spit bubbles, I'm not sure who needs a bib more, her or us...
• Still no crawling but she army crawls. And she is quick! She also does this funny little pose where she'll stop scooting, lean to one side and place her hand on her hip.
• We've been teaching her Peek-a-Boo and she loves it.
• Shoes are finally starting to fit her long skinny feet but her 6-18 month socks are already getting too small. I have a feeling we have more than a few shoe-shopping headaches ahead of us.
• She can sit up all by herself--and even sits in the shopping cart now! 
• She's figured out how to pull the bumper pad down in her crib and if she hears the door open or floor creak, down the bumper comes. Richard has loved sneaking in and tapping on the bumper and waiting for her to discover that someone is on the other side. 
• When we put her in her crib to go to sleep, it doesn't take long before we hear banging from the other room--she scoots on her back and starts kicking both feet against the side.
• Have we mentioned that she loves the sensation of wind blowing in her face? The air vent is her new favorite place to hang out! Whenever the central air turns on, she gets excited and scoots right to the nearest vent. It's funny to watch her little tuft of hair get whipped around and hear her giggle.

We love you, Olivia May!