Eight Months

Karston's eight months old now, so it's time to look back at the past month. My first thought is, Another month older already? He has mastered sitting, and that's great! I set him down on the carpet last week, and then quickly unloaded groceries into the refrigerator next to him. He just watched me, didn't tip over, didn't try anything that would give me a heart attack. We've really gotten used to the sitting boy! It's just so convenient!

I don't know if he became ticklish, or just got better at laughing, but now we can tickle him or nibble on him to start the laughter. Baby laughter is the best! We make sure to get all his laughter out before bed.

When he's really happy (for instance, when he knows what comes next, like a bath), Karston is difficult to hold because he turns into Bucking Bronco Baby Boy. He's so happy, he wants to jump, which is tough when you're carrying him down the hall to the bathroom. Baths don't bother him as much now, although he clings to his washcloth or his rubber ducky.

He's tried just about every kind of single-item baby food, and a couple multi-item foods. Karston likes cereal mixed with breast milk (best), sweet potatoes, peas, and pears; everything else he tolerates (especially if Daddy feeds it to him). We haven't tried bananas again, and I don't plan to try again for a good long while. He still nurses at night, but isn't interested in anything so reclined during the day.

Karston had a road trip this month too, to meet my Gramma in the mountains. The weather finally was reasonable on a weekend when we didn't have plans after the pediatrician said he was old enough to meet people. (I really didn't want a sleep-deprived person, either one of us, driving Karston on wintery roads!)

Laughing, stomping, and routines are still popular. We still haven't slept through the night. He looks older and bigger, but he's still holding just above 16.0 pounds which is just above the 5th percentile. Honestly, I feed him as much as he'll eat, but I say that about his dad too.

Baby