by I have an 8 month old baby! Not to use this phrase again, but it’s going too fast. I think back to the days when we first brought her home from the hospital and I don’t even remember who I was back then and how quickly we’ve made it to this point. I was afraid to feed her because it hurt and she was insatiable, and now I feed her sitting on the floor of H&M while my mom shops. I was afraid every cry meant imminent doom and destruction, and now all of her cries mean something specific and nine times out of ten, I know what they mean. I remember when I asked my mom how I could possibly figure out what she wanted or needed and she told me it would happen. I didn’t believe her then but it’s so true. You become so in tune to your baby that somehow you start to know what you’re doing. Eight months of practice and we are two peas in a pod! Here are some of her new developments:
Her favorite thing to do right now is clap hands. At first she would just do it randomly, but now she has figured out to do it on command and when she is happy and excited. When I show her a toy or she sees her reflection, a huge grin forms on her face and she claps her hands with delight. It is the cutest thing and I don’t think it will ever get old. She really enjoys seeing her reflection in anything and everything. She’s like her father that way. Eric checks himself out in mirrors, car windows, store windows, you name it. If she catches a glimpse of herself she smiles immediately. She knows she’s pretty!
The art of crawling is really taking shape. She is already a pro at maneuvering herself backwards and in the last two days she’s been going on all fours and rocking back and forth. She’s figured out that when she’s on the hard wood floor she can pull herself along with her arms. The only way I can accurately describe this is in a terrible way, but I’m going to tell you, of course. In one of those war movies, I think it was Saving Private Ryan or something, one of the soldiers gets his legs blown off and then he just pulls his body along with his arms. This is what I am reminded of when Charlotte is sliding across the floor. I am the worst.
She has also learned a new trick where she sits up and uses one of her legs to propel herself in circles. I watched her slowly turn herself around 4 times yesterday while I was washing her bottles. Then she sees me and claps hands. I really do need to get a video of it because I don’t have a macabre example of what this looks like to explain properly.
Homegirl is loving her food. She’s eating all of the nice mixed fruits and vegetables now. She had a field day with the sweet corn and green beans that she had for lunch the other day. This morning for breakfast I left her with beets, pomegranate and apple. I bought so many different varieties because I get bored eating the same shit everyday so I figure she would too.
She reaches for me now. It makes my heart burst out of my chest when those little arms go up in the air for me to pick her up. I love it so, so much. I love HER so, so much.
And in case anyone is wondering, she still doesn’t sleep through the night. She did it for a week and then I guess decided that was good enough. She’s only waking up once though, so that’s an improvement. And I still let her sleep with me after her wake up because it’s easier for me and that’s that. But I can eat dairy again without any adverse reactions so THANK GOD FOR SMALL MIRACLES. I haven’t reintroduced any milk to my diet, I still ask for things without butter and I’m still in the habit of saying no cheese, but this is why I am wearing a size small in all of my clothes so I’m going to shut up and stop complaining. HOWEVER, I did just order a sandwich with smoked mozzarella on it and I am going to eat the shit out of that sandwich and have no regrets.
Happy 8 months to my beautiful, precious, happy baby girl. I love you more than all the stars in the sky and all the fish in the sea.
The Mommy Minutes 
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