jude, 8 months

age: 8 months

weight: not too sure, haven't checked in a while. 

length: also not sure on this measurement.

clothing size: 6-9 months is ideal still, but we are creeping into 6-12 months too.

nicknames: jude bug and judabega seem to be the reigning champs. 

health: this kiddo has been pretty healthy but has had a few more head bonks lately and accidentally burned her right foot last week while playing in the sink. she loves the water so when i turned it off she reached out to crank it back up, grabbing the hot water and scalding her poor little foot. she wailed and wailed, but some lavender oil did the trick and there is no scar to speak of. 

sleep: she is back to sleeping solidly again, going to bed at 8, waking up about 5:50 for a nurse in our bed, then going back to her crib until 7 or 8.

diet: all the foods! boy, she loves to eat her baby food. her pincher reflex is not very strong so she doesn't usually get finger foods into her mouth, but instead squishes them in her palm until they aren't very edible. i find this ironic as EVERYTHING else goes straight to her mouth.

baby gear love: a counter-mount "high chair" (ours was a hand-me-down). it is awesome to not have our floor space taken up by a bulky high chair. plus, then she can sit at the bar while i cook and we were able to take it camping where we clamped it right onto the picnic table. 

loves: clapping her hands, blowing raspberries, sticking her tongue out, making guttural sounds, camp fires, sleeping in a tent, and sleeping with a book in her crib. 

dislikes: harvey licks on her face (she loves his kisses on her hands, arms, legs, and feet though), going to bed without her stomach being 100% full, and home-made baby food.

milestones: she said her first word and it was clearly... "mama"! it warms my heart to hear her mouth "ma ma ma ma" although i don't think she knows it is my title quite yet. never-the-less, i'll take it. we are working on "dada" so maybe she can say that by the time he gets home from his field work.

jude, 7 months

age: 7 months

weight: 17+ pounds

length: 27 inches

clothing size: 6-9 month is ideal.

nicknames: jude bug, judabaga, jude girl, and sweet girl. i find myself calling her sweet girl a lot in public because she is often mistaken for a boy. which i don't know how i feel about this. i am not mad when people make the mistake, but i really haven't been able to either let it go or find a smooth way of telling the well-meaning waiter/barista/stranger.

health: she is in 60th percentile for weight, 77th percentile for height, and 88th percentile for head circumfrence. baby got some brains! no wonder rolling over was so hard for her!

sleep: freaking sleep regression. i feel that all the parents of children who don't sleep through the night wished this upon us. she has recently taken to waking up 1-2 times per night screaming. we try to avoid feeding her, but it is the only thing that seems to console her so i end up nursing her in the middle of the night, feeling resentful that all those parents put a hoax on my otherwise angelic sleeper. 

diet: we opened the solid food gates and this kiddo is loving eating. so far she has made a few faces, but overall she enjoys sitting in her big chair, waiting for the next bite of fruits or veggies. the meat baby food, which the pediatrician said is necessary for exclusively breastfed babies, isn't as bad as i expected but i am not about to dig into it anytime soon. 

baby gear love: our deuter backpack. since we have moved near the river, brandon has been putting her in this and getting out of the house daily. she loves to bop along on his back and she usually babbles the whole way, meanwhile her little spiky hair glistens in the evening sun. it is pretty magical.

loves: water in all forms, including baths, lakes, rivers, and drinking glasses; patting people on the face or chest when they hold her; and eating fruits. her auntie jordyn gave her chocolate (a first!) ice cream (also a first!) on her 7 month birthday. i think they will be sweet-loving friends for life! 

dislikes: having to chew (O cereals or yogurt bits), having to let go of things she is inevitably going to use to hurt herself or others, and having her stroller hit from behind with a kickball.

milestones: she sits up unassisted for long stretches of time. although she can't quite get from sitting to laying without a major "bonk" she doesn't seem to mind having a new position from which to enjoy her world! 

jude and her song

this was jude's reaction to hearing "hey jude" for the first time. we have chosen to embrace the reality that people will always sing her name back to her when she introduces herself, so on sunday mornings, while we drink our coffee we play the 7 min version of her song and she taps her feet in the mellow parts and "dances" around during the chorus.