eight months of you...

My sweet George,

When I used to imagine ahead to this point, I pictured you as a still dependent infant relying on Mama and Baba to carry you around and attend to your every need. You had other plans in mind and lately, several times a day I catch glimpses of you as a big boy. You are on the move, crawling, cruising and exploring your world. You still look back to make sure we are there with you and count on us to catch you from falling but, you are quickly gaining independence and are growing and changing at a rate that makes me both extremely proud and more than a little wistful.

Until today, I've been able to take your monthly photos all by myself. Those days are now gone and you do not like to sit still for more than a moment. Baba and I carefully set things up today to be as sure as we could to snap a few pictures in just seconds, knowing you'd be off in a flash. That's about how we do things now. Plan as well as we can, baby proof and follow you around and around and around. Such a busy boy!

At eight months you:

• are crawling. A few weeks back you decided it was time to move beyond rolling and started a half crawl, dragging one leg (mainly your left) behind or tucked up under you. Within days, you figured out that being on all fours was much more efficient and have now mastered the crawl - and fast!
• are cruising! Crawling was not enough though. As soon as you had that down, you were pulling yourself up to standing on anyone and anything and now are cruising along the edges of furniture. Be still my heart.
• are such a good eater. You are adventurous and will try anything we give you from purees, to snacks to semi-solid foods.
• are still toothless. Being all gums hasn't slowed down your eating at all though! In the past two weeks you've eaten watermelon, meatball and cupfuls of puffs and Cheerios.
• love music. You have started to bounce around when you hear songs you know and will bang your hands on a surface along with a tune. You particularly love your two toy pianos right now.
• enjoy Mama's singing voice (though I wonder why!). Your favorites are "Itsy Bisty Spider", "Bingo" and "The Wheels on the Bus". If I need to get your attention or you get restless during a car ride, any of these will help right away.
• wave hello and good-bye.
• are growing in more hair, little by little and, it's so light! We're still trying to figure that one out.
• really like Sesame Street and watch an episode each morning as Mama gets ready.
• love to swing! As we walk toward the park, you get very excited and start cooing and kicking your feet as soon as the swings are in sight.
• have fun with the climbing train at the park - especially the portholes. You love peering through the round openings, especially if one of your favorite people is on the other side.
• play peek-a-boo with a blanket, a toy lovey or around someones head while being held. It's your favorite game right now.
• enjoy watching other kids play and watching dogs and cats. You fell in love with your great Aunt Patty and Uncle Joe's collie, Murphy at camp - especially as he chased his frisbee.
• are a happy, smiley, giggly boy. You have the sweetest disposition and the best smile around. Your dimple just melts me!
• are wearing 6-9 months clothes, although you have plenty of room to grow in them. You can still wear a lot of your 3-6 month onesies and shorts. You have a longer torso but are still lean through the middle.
• have deliciously chubby thighs, arms and cheeks...we kiss them all the time!
• love the water in any form - sippy cup, baths and swimming. You are a water kid and love to splash around.
• are a people person. You love to meet new people, study faces and have a quick smile for anyone you meet. You tend to charm even the grumpiest of strangers when we are out and about.
• are fascinated hearing Greek. Your Yia Yia and Papou only speak Greek to you when you are with them on Tuesdays and Wednesdays, while Mama is at work, and Baba speaks in Greek to you at home much of the time.

You are the very best part of every day. I love you to the moon and back little guy,

Mama