20/05/07

8 Months
Email this entry | Print this entry 20/05/2007, 08:59 PM
I cannot believe that the Monkey is 8 months old today. EIGHT!! Where on Earth has the time gone? My little cheeky Monkey, full of beans and life and gorgeous grins.

At 8 months old she can crawl like a demon, and my days of leaving her in one spot to play with a toy while I attempt household chores are done and dusted. The second I move away my little Monkey is around my heels, and then is using my legs as a ladder to stand up and plead for cuddles.

She loves to stand, and pulls up on absolutely everything, bashing away at the Elfling's old playtable and patting the TV reassuringly when I have it on. At night time when she decides she's had enough of this sleeping business thank you very much, she climbs over to the closest corner to the door and then stands up yelling MaaaaMaaaa til I come and feed her. The hilarious thing is that she's not tall enough to see over the cot side, so that when I go in to rescue her all you can see are two very determined hands holding on for dear life while her big brown eyes watch you from between the slats.

Her sleeping has improved immeasurably - she sleeps now from 6ish until 10:30pm or later (I don't dream feed) then is fed at about 4. On the nights when she feeds later than 11pm she tends to sleep until 5, which sounds lovely, but is actually worse than the 4am feed because there is just enough light in her room at 5 for her to insist that it's daytime. And while her babbling, giggle punctuated dawnsong is very cute, at 5am I'm not the receptive audience she's after.

She is still tiny, though developing the loveliest pudgy legs and belly. She eats at least 3 solid meals a day now, and anything else that she can scrounge out of the backyard or under the couch.

She is starting to make more discernible noises now. Maamaa for me, Dadbabdab for her Daddy and just shrill excited screeching whenever the ever tolerant Oscar the cat is around. (Oscar is the most handsome, loveliest natured cat. He looks like he's wearing a sleek tuxedo with white french cuffs, and he puts up with all manner of the girls affection, without ever raising a well manicured paw). She is showing great interest in books, and loves "Where is the Green Sheep" especially, turning the pages for me, and occasionally looking up at me with her big intelligent eyes before gazing back at the book.

She adores her sister, and loves to interrupt the Elfling's games, which depending on the type of day she's having the Elfling sometimes indulges but at other times causes headaches for all in the vicinity. It is amazing how different they are though. The Elfling was always bright and sunny, but while the Monkey is certainly not morose, she is much more reserved than the Elfling. She has developed separation anxiety in the last week or so, and does not like it at all when she can see me and is unable to touch me.

I am sure all parents say this, but she is so clever. While the Elfling is certainly very bright, I think the Monkey is going to definitely give her a run for her money. You can see her working things out, she's not quite as lively as the Elfling, but puzzles and books etc just fascinate her.

Basically I just love her, and her gorgeous effervescent sister to bits.

8 months also marks an important milestone for me, as it is the longest time I have ever breastfed. And right at the moment I can't imagine it going awry any time soon. Feeding is lovely and the Monkey won't take a bottle and spits out formula (much to my delight) so my 12 month goal seems distinctly possible. On daycare days I still try and express, but the Monkey drinks it out of a cup (instead of from me) and because she takes less from a cup than from my boobs it doesn't matter if I can only express 70mL or so. I still love breastfeeding, and the further we go with it the more annoyed I am with myself for stuffing it up last time.

So that's where we are at 8 glorious months. Life, like my flame haired, brown eyed girl, is beautiful.