The Big 8

8 months old!

8 months felt like a long time when we were waiting for you to arrive. I still remember the nausea-clouded days in the first trimester when I would feel each day as it went by, thinking that time had never passed quite as slowly. 8 months with you however, seem to have passed in a blink of an eye. (I know I say this every month but it’s true. And while time would seem interminable to you as a child, trust me, you will spend a whole lot more time wishing that it’ll slow down.)

I never fail to mourn the lost of your baby-ness a little every month. I look at you, now barely fitting into your car seat and wonder: where is that tiny baby who was so dwarfed by the seat just some months back? Why have you disappeared so fast??

Mr Sulky in his least favourite position: CONFINED

Yet at the same time, I can’t help but celebrate each new development you make, every step you take to becoming your own person. The little things that we take for granted are all new to you and there is much joy to be had in seeing you discover the world around you and find your own feet. Literally and otherwise. I have never been more in awe of God’s design, more keenly aware of His hand. And I thank you for that.

This month your development seems to be in acceleration mode. Early in the month, you added crawling (properly on all 4s) to your methods of movement so you’re even faster than before. Oh dear. From a lying down position, you can now do a sit up, aided by your arms, and move into a sitting position, something you’ve been trying to do since you were 3 months I think? And so from flat on your back, onto your tummy, crawling, standing, sitting back down again, inching along on your feet (I don’t think I’ll really call it cruising just yet – you aren’t quite as fluid as the word “cruise” seems to suggest), you are a bundle of motion that makes you twice as difficult to hold on to than before. Daddy thinks you’ll be walking in a couple of months. We’ll see.

“Hands off, Mummy. I can do this on my own!”

One thing I have appreciated is your increased ability to play on your own, although most of the time this involves you doing something you shouldn’t be doing. You will wake up ever so quietly in the mornings and pounce on random items picked off the bedside table. Your favourite items to chomp on include your children’s bible, our psalm book and Daddy’s watch. You just love flipping the books though I have to rescue them from your dangerous little fingers ever so often before you rip out the pages or actually manage to eat any of it.

It is wonderful on the other hand to wake up to see you standing beside my bed and reaching for me. Always makes me reach out and grab you up for a cuddle. Admittedly it’s not quite as fun when you do this in the middle of the night (though cuddle you, I still do).

You have broadened your repertoire of food this month and I’ve also started giving you breakfast so you’re on to 3 solid meals a day. Which seems to suit you fine cos you’re not too interested in your milk, especially when Mummy’s not around to give you milk on tap. Instead, we work a portion of your milk into all your meals and this gives me comfort that you are still getting most of the milk you need. Still, I worry all the time about whether you’re eating enough. That’s a Mummy’s lot in life. Your Daddy has learnt not to say that you feel lighter on any particular day cos that would send Mummy into a tizzy. Overall though, I’m glad that you’re interested in food. Sometimes you’re a little too interested, wanting a little bit of anything we put in our mouths, and it becomes a bit of a tussle holding you off.

Yummy juicy oranges — I caved and gave you a taste, though you’re not getting any more for a while since I’ve realised that citrus fruits are not to be introduced till 1! Oops!

But generally you eat well, though since you have a propensity to allergies, I’ve held back introducing meat into your diet. I’ve included chicken stock in your lunches however and you seem to like it. I’ve also introduced you to some amounts of tofu (for protein).

You on the other hand, have introduced yourself to paper. While Auntie Nisha might say that there’s a lot fibre in paper, I tend to disagree that it should form part of your diet. I try not to think about the ink you have ingested from the corner of a well chewed brochure or photocopied handouts.

Mummy and Daddy get gelato and I get the paper cone? Ptfff.

While I know you have no problems putting things into your mouth — it’s trying to stop you from doing so which is the problem — according to the experts, you are to be encouraged to self-feed so I’ve tried giving you more finger food. And I’ve discovered that while you can guide food into your mouth like a pro, you’re not too good at getting the last bits from your tightly clenched fist into your mouth. Guess that’s why are these advocates of finger food are the experts, not me! We’ll have more fun with finger food in the upcoming weeks.

Over and above the physical aspects of your development, this month has seen the emergence of more of your personality and an increase in your understanding. It has not always been enjoyable. You understand “No”, uttered in a stern tone with a stern expression to match, and you comply, but that certainly doesn’t mean that you agree. And how you do protest.

You cry when you are made to sit in your stroller. You shriek when items are taken out of your grasp. You throw up your arms and twist your body when we try to pick you up when you don’t want to be moved. You put down the forbidden item but you screw up your face and burst into angry tears. And goodness, the tears.

Every single time, your eyes will well up and spill over with big hot angry tears in a split second. Of all of my traits, this was not one which I wanted you to inherit. It’s no fun being with a crybaby, sweetie. Do stop.

We’ve also noticed that you know how to be aware of danger (I use this loosely). You used to hold onto the side of your tub with one hand before we got the non-slip mat. You would grip on to the side of your cot with one hand and use the other hand to reach for another source of support, and if you don’t find it, you will return to your original position and think twice about where to go. When attempting to return to a sitting position from standing, you would bend your knees and use one hand to try to touch the ground before letting go. And now when you take a tumble, you try to lift your head so it would not strike the ground. These small things I find endlessly fascinating as I learn more about you even as you learn more about yourself. I love watching you as, with a slight frown, you study an object pinched between your thumb and forefinger. You look so cute doing that, my little explorer.

And of course, everything must pass the taste test.

There is still much ahead of you my little man. And I can’t wait to discover it all with you.