Tough Girl

Dear Lila,

Your pediatrician needs to check your lead level so you had to have blood drawn today. It was the first time you'd ever had blood drawn and your veins are still so teeny tiny that the nurse had a lot of trouble finding a big enough vein and poked you with the needle several times before she finally found one. That alone must have hurt like crazy and then you had to sit still for a couple minutes while she took your blood. But you were so brave! You whimpered when the nurse first stuck the needle into your arm but then you took it like a champ and didn't even cry. My tough girl!

Love,
Mom

Third Tooth

Dear Lila,

Your third tooth is starting to come in! And I know you are just trying out your new chompers but could you please stop biting me while I am breastfeeding you? Ow.

Love,
Mom

Big Laugh

Dear Lila,

I love your big, hearty laugh and the way you giggle and flap your arms like a bird whenever you're happy :)

Love,
Mom

Lil' Cruiser

Dear Lila,

You just missed the Super September cut-off, but you started cruising today! You really are going to start walking soon, aren't you?

Love,
Mom

Super September

Dear Lila,

Wow, I don't know what it is about the month of September but you hit a ton of milestones this month:

September 4: You cut your first tooth (and weren't the slightest bit fussy or cranky about it--amazing!).

(you can see the very top of your first tooth in the above photo)

September 6: You started crawling!

September 8: You began crawling really fast. It's as if you went from zero to 50 in two days!

September 10: You learned how to clap.

September 13: You pulled yourself up to standing. Whoa!

September 16: You waved for the first time.

September 22: You cut your second tooth (still no fussiness--doesn't it hurt or are you really just the world's chillest baby?).

There's one more week left in September--you're not going to start walking, are you?

Love,

Mom

Lip Gloss

Dear Lila,

While we were out today, I let you play with a tube of my lip gloss but when I eventually took it away from you, you were angry and burst into tears. I should have known better than to get in between a girl and her makeup!

Love,
Mom

Month 8

Dear Lila,

On the 27th of every month, I take a photo of you to document how much you've grown from month to month but as you get older, these photos are getting harder and harder to take! When you weren't yet mobile, you'd just lie there, look at the camera with your pretty eyes and let me snap photo after photo, no problem. Today's photo session, however, took almost half an hour because you wouldn't sit still and kept trying to eat the "8 Months" sticker on your shirt. I eventually did manage to get this great shot by waving a tissue above the camera:

(notice the drool on your shirt and the slightly chewed-up sticker)

Here are some things about you at 8 months:

-You are one active baby! You squirm around a lot when you're in my lap and are no longer content just lolling around on your back, so you're constantly rolling onto your belly and pushing yourself up to sitting.

-You kick and pump your legs really hard when you get excited, which is very cute.

-You are currently eating and enjoying green foods: peas, zucchini and green beans.

-You love to suck on washcloths that I've dipped in cold water.

-You also enjoy sucking on tissues, napkins, board books and pieces of cardboard. Your brother did, too, when he was a baby. What is that about?

-You like playing with toy cars, probably because you have access to dozens of them from your brother's collection.

-You have started reaching for me when you want me to pick you up, which makes me melt every time.

Love,
Mom