Megan at Eight Months

Megan is now a week past her eighth month birthday.  She is sooo much fun and ever so strong.  I am estimating she weighs about 20 pounds but I'm sure that if she weren't so active it would be even more.  She seems to be so much happier now that she can do even more on her own.

John and I were commenting a couple weeks ago that Megan had been sort of boring.  It seemed like all she did the last month was perfect her crawling, practice pulling herself up to stand and walk around with us holding her hands.  However, the last couple days she just took off cruising around furniture.  She was showing off tonight to John and me by even walking one-handed.  She is finding out where her limits are and testing them, no doubt.  Here is a picture of the obstacle course I made for her this weekend so she had some good surfaces to walk around.  Practicing her walking is giving her other places to put her attention which is good because it makes her a little less needy.  However, she still likes us to be close by and probably will for some time. 

Besides walking holding onto our hands is not the only practice she has been getting.  Megan will use any object in the house to make herself mobile.  Her activity table, kitchen chairs and the small ottoman.  No stopping this one!  Now we just have to work on walking with only holding onto Mommy or Daddy with one hand and work on balancing to stand on her own.

Megan still has seven teeth.  The last ones came three or four weeks ago.  Bad thing is that she hasn't slept well despite them cutting through.  I admit that I have been babying Megan by rocking her to sleep and we're starting to just let her cry it out when putting her to bed, naps and during the night.  John has been using this technique a lot for naps but I felt bad for her at night with the teeth and all.  But not anymore... Mama needs sleep too!  I do think more teeth are on the way soon, so we'll see...

I love that Megan is getting older and starting to have a better attention span.  I've noticed that she is able to play with some toys and books for a longer period of time before moving onto others or getting bored.  She is figuring out how buttons work and that if she presses them they make noise.  Other motor skills are improving too and she is starting to clap her hands herself when like patty cake.

Megan's diet is expanding rapidly.  We now have given her chicken, turkey and beef along with many fruits and veggies.  She enjoys puffs, cheerios and bits of lightly toasted bread.  Megan doesn't always like to eat alone and if you're eating, there better be something for her too!  She likes to eat off the spoon but what she loves is to feed herself.  We put bananas in her fresh food feeder and also put food on her tray.  She knows that big people feed themselves and is so proud that she can do it too!

One of the other things I've noticed lately is Megan is becoming a mommy's girl.  I knew it would happen sooner or later and when I walk through the door after work she beeline crawls in my direction.  She also likes to be at my feet in the kitchen and has no problem pulling up and holding onto my pant leg!

It is fun to interact with Megan more and watch her try to communicate with others.  Even if it is only through her eye contact, BIG smile and high-pitched squeals!  One of our favorite things right now is to squeal back and forth at each other.  She thinks it's hilarious and I get the biggest grins!  Megan and I went grocery shopping tonight and it seemed she made a point to smile at every single person, man or woman, that walked by our cart.  She also loves to smile at the people sitting next to us at church.  What a joy she is to so many people.  I hope she never loses this spirit!

Daddy and Megan on her 8 month b-day!