Patrick by Numbers: 8

Eight months old.  Every month it sneaks up on me.  I am in constant awe of everything he is learning and it always take me a day or two to come to terms with him hitting the milestones.  I want him to stay little, stay my baby.

*Weighs approximately 19 lbs 2 oz.

*Made our first trip to the ER this month due to an ear infection that wouldn't budge.  The antibiotic the doctor prescribed made him have crazy bad diarrhea and vomit.  Though, he might have also had the stomach bug that the rest of the house contracted later that week - so it's hard to tell.  But he got VERY dehydrated and we spent the night in the ER to get fluids and antibiotics - shots.  It was not a wonderful experience but we survived.

*Can sit up by himself unsupported and can also get himself to sitting with out help.  Of course, he started crawling before he could sit without help which just made me laugh.  I wasn't ready for him to crawl when he couldn't sit....

*Also started pulling up on furniture, mommy's legs, William's toys right around the same time as crawling.  In the span of about a week our entire lives changed.  We now have two mobile kids.  Goodness.

*Got his first big boo-boo as a result of pulling up.  He smashed his nose pretty good into our rug after pulling up on the bed.  We didn't see it - but I guess he lost his balance and hit the floor hard because his nose was all scabby and pitiful looking.

*Loves bathtime and no longer needs the baby seat to take one.  This thrills Patrick and ticks William off when he tries to take the boats.

*Eating three meals of "solid" food a day.  He particularly loves anything with pineapple mixed in.

*Has been sleeping like a newborn.  I am feeding him every two hours atleast.  At this point, it's just a habit.  A habit that is going to have to break soon.  I just have to get up the nerve to go through it.  It breaks my heart when he cries - it's literally blood curdling screams.  Truly awful.

*He is really one of the most content babies I've ever seen.  It amazes us every time he just sits in our lap, or the stroller, or on the floor playing by himself in the middle of a thousand toys.

*Apparently can hold his bottle and feed himself now.  I haven't witnessed it first hand, but Sam says he can do it.  That's magic to us as well.

*Babbles with the best of them.  Lots of B & D noises, though,  I swear I heard Ma Ma today.  Probably just wishful thinking though. haha!!

*He loves to be tickled.  His feet are especially ticklish, as is under his chin.  I love his laugh and how his face lights up.

*He will shake his head from side to side to get your attention and to make you laugh.  I think he'll be a ham just like his brother.  It's really one of the cutest things.

*Is starting to raise his hand to wave bye.

*I think we are approaching separation anxiety.  He gets his feelings hurt if he sees me and I don't pick him up, or if one of us sets him down to do something.  He doesn't cry when we leave him at school though, and that's a testament to his love for his teachers.

*Is wearing size 3 diapers and mostly 12 month clothes - some 6-9 still fits but barely.

*He still doesn't have any teeth - but boy does he enjoy chewing on things.  And it really hurts when he chomps down on your chin - he definitely has jaw strength.

*Still thinks his brother hung the moon.  He watches every move he makes.  Hopefully he's not taking notes on the tantrums...

*Had to go to work with me twice because I cut it too close after doctor appts to make it to my meetings and drop him off at school beforehand.  Luckily, I have a great workplace and work peeps.  He, of course, now has a length babysitter list.  He won every single one of my coworkers' hearts.  He never made a peep while being handed around and snuggled in with each of them.  Such a sweet sweet boy.

*Enjoys swinging.  Lots of smiles when we do that at the park.  I'm sure he's happy to finally have something he can do besides sit in the stroller or in mommy's lap while William plays.

*Still nursing all the time and getting breast milk at school.

*I keep forgetting to mention this but we noticed a couple months ago that the veins on the bridge of his nose (I have them too) are shaped like a heart.  I thought it was amusing that I had stared at his face every day for five months but then my sister noticed it the morning of his baptism...  But she was right - a heart.

*Loves to fly and be "thrown" in the air.  I'll lay on my back and put him on my shins and rock back and forth... Sam is a bit rougher and throws him.  I'm not a fan.  When I throw him I don't actually let go...  I don't know what I'm afraid will happen in those three inches of air but it makes me gasp every time.

*He is a happy happy boy full of joy.  We are so lucky.

Loves.