Carter at 8 months old

Oh, Baby Bean...

This age with you is absolutely fantastic. I love every minute of it! There are some stages of childhood that dive me nuts, like when you were a newborn and never slept or the toddler years with Logan - Good Lord, were those difficult. But this age with you right now? Is heaven.

I love when you wake up in the morning, sitting up and anxiously waiting for me to come in with a bottle for breakfast. The look on your face when I open the door is priceless. You are so happy, you just light up with pure joy. Our morning snuggles are so tender and loving, melting my heart into a giant puddle of mush.

You are moving all around the house now; crawling, scooting, rolling and getting into everything you can. You try to follow me around the house if you aren't playing side-by-side with you Big Brother, the highlight of your day. The two of you hang out together on the floor playing with cars, which seems to be your favorite right now. You couldn't care less about your baby toys. You'd rather play with the big kid stuff. Watching you kids play is adorable. You play so well together, like you've been playing for years before. You really are best buds. I've yet to get a picture, and believe me - I'm trying, but it makes me smile more than I can describe when I look in the rear view mirror while driving to see the two of you holding hands and laughing.

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You are beginning to find your voice and babbling so much more. While you eat your Cheerios in your high chair you talk to me and chat away in your secret baby language. Your conversations sound so interesting, I wish I knew what you were talking about. Even though I can't understand you, I feel like you understand everything that I say to you. I talk to you as if you've been talking from Day One, and the looks you give me are all the confirmation that I need. What's funny, sort of, is when I begin to tell you "No" or reprimand you (as much as one can do with a baby), you just laugh at me and think it's hysterical. So, hear I'm telling you to sit still while I change your diaper or to stop pulling my hair in a serious tone and you erupt in giggles and squeals.


Feeding you is quite a challenge because you are the pickiest eater already. There isn't much you like to eat other than fruit, carrots and sweet potatoes. Everything else you are totally grossed out by and even gag up stuff like avocado and banana. This is going to make for an interesting adventure trying to find food for you to eat. One good thing though is that you are getting pretty good at feeding yourself, picking up handfuls of Cheerios or Peach Puffs. Maybe you'll eat more when you are doing it all yourself. We'll see!


Your stranger anxiety seems to have calmed down a lot recently. I think you are recognizing the different places we go - the grocery store, the gym and friends houses. You are comfortable with the people we see regularly. And most importantly, you are loving your Dad more than ever now. When he comes home from work, you give him smiles just as big as you give me, which I know he's been waiting for. Soon enough, you'll most likely want nothing to do with me and will only want to do "man stuff" with your Dad and Logan.


I will be sad to see this stage go because I love it so much. My heart overflows with happiness watching you grow and learn, becoming your own person. You are incredibly sweet and fuss very little (which is so different from your newborn months). Little Carter kid, I love you more than you'll ever know.