A Letter to Periwinkle at Eight Months

Dear Periwinkle,

You have a tooth! It's just barely peeking out of your gums, but it is there! We knew it was coming for about a week, as that area of your gums was definitely getting harder, but it was just so exciting to finally SEE it. A tooth! My little baby girl has a tooth, with more soon to follow. Insane. How are we at eight months already? How are you teething and getting on all fours and nearly crawling? Aren't you still my helpless little preemie? I know you will still need me for quite a while, but still, that tooth seems like such a big step as you continue to develop into your own independent person. And once you can crawl and then walk it will be harder to dictate where you go. You'll be expressing your opinions and throwing tantrums and laughing and growing into a little girl. But I suppose I'm getting ahead of myself. It is just your first tooth.

We are going to have to lower your crib sooner rather than later, as you've started rocking on all fours in your crib. It's not such a big step to grab onto the rail and pull yourself up. And then we'd be in trouble. I should know. Your uncle used to tell me how to climb out of my crib when I was a baby. We gals are trouble.

This month you've definitely been asserting yourself. You shout at your brother to get his attention. You shout hello when I pick you up at daycare. You shout at the cats in excitement to try to get them to play with you (hint: yelling at them will not work. Trust me.). You shout when I put your new hat on you. You shout when you wake up in the morning. You just really like to shout when you are excited. It's adorable, but kind of loud. Try to tone it down a bit. Work on a squeal or a giggle, perhaps.

You still don't nap that great during the day at daycare. We're lucky to get two hours of napping out of you. But, unlike your brother, bad napping doesn't seem to affect your nightsleep, because you are usually the first to fall asleep, usually within minutes of being put down. One day last weekend you did nap the full 3.5 hours, and you took forever to fall asleep. So maybe you are just a two-hour kind of napper.

On Sunday you were super ornery (probably because of that tooth coming in) so I took you and your brother out for a walk, despite the heat. We don't use the infant carriers for walks anymore. You can sit up in the stroller like a big girl. We slathered you with sunscreen and put your new hat on you and you were just so happy. Perhaps you love being outside as much as your brother does! However, you did NOT like it when I walked through a sprinkler. There was no avoiding it. I think it shocked you so you started to cry. I managed to convince you it felt good (it felt GREAT!) on such a hot day. I can't wait to bring you into the pool. I need to buy a bathing suit first...

This weekend is your baptism and I hope the water isn't an issue for you then. Of course, people will just think it's cute if you start to cry, so don't sweat it too much.

Love you, little girl,
Mama

A Letter to Indigo at Eight Months

Dear Indigo,

Today you are eight months old. It simply amazes me the changes that take place in you on a monthly, even weekly, basis. Sometimes I look at you and I see more little boy than little baby in you. And then I pick you up and you snuggle into me and I realize you'll always be my little baby. You are my snuggle bug. And you are growing fast.

I looked at your car seat manual, and I realized that within a few weeks, you'll have outgrown your infant car seat, by height, not weight. It's time for Daddy and I to start shopping around and figuring out how to get you in and out of daycare until you learn how to walk. I'm hoping I can find a stroller that can fit in my little car trunk, so that you can go in that while I carry your sister in the Ergo. We'll see how that goes. I love picking you up at daycare, seeing those smiles when you realize I'm there, hearing your excited noises as you wait for me to lift you up and hug you. So I'll find a way to make this work.

This month you became a master at rolling over. I'll glance away and when I look back you are halfway across the room, a little speed demon. We need to start babyproofing, pronto. We got rid of the coffee table, as it wasn't terribly sturdy, and now you have the whole living room to roll around on. We just pile all your little toys onto the big blue blanket that we like to pretend contains you two, and let you both at them. Sometimes I'm reminded of Scrooge McDuck rolling around in his money the way you sometimes just roll right over your toys, hard plastic blocks and soft rattles both.

When we lift you up you straighten your legs out, finally, so that you can stand for a little while with our support. For the longest time you either would keep your legs curled up or collapse immediately when we put your weight onto your legs. But you've been strengthening them in the bounceroo, which we have to adjust soon because you are just getting so darned tall! It's such a joy to watch you bouncing in that thing, because it's so evident that it brings you so much joy.

You're starting to fight back against your sister, not caving when she grabs for a toy you have. You sometimes even just roll away with it. You also like to pull her hair and ears. Try to be gentle.

When we put you on the changing table you often roll to your side, grabbing at whatever bib or burp cloth is on it. Soon we'll have to change you on the floor. Speaking of grabbing bibs, your favorite thing to chew on these days is anything cloth. Bibs, burp cloths, blankets, soft toys, Mama's shirt, you name it, you want to chew on it. I'm thinking it might have something to do with teething. All I know is it cracks me up when I see you grabbing at a bib and two burp cloths at the same time and trying to gnaw on them all. You're a hoarder!

This weekend is your baptism, and I'm hoping you don't freak out. It's not at the best time of day (naptime) and you probably won't enjoy the water too much. But so many people are coming to tell you they love you and it should be a fun day. I'm afraid to try your outfit on you because you have gotten so tall lately. We'll just hope for the best.

In July we have lots of fun stuff going on, and I'm so excited for it all. July 4th, BBQs, and a week at the beach should all be such great new experiences for you and your sister. I can't wait!

  

I love you, little man,

Mama

Father's Day

I realize this is a week late, but I just wanted to share with the world how lucky my kids are to have Blue as their dad. He was the first to feed them after they were born (I was loopy on a magnesium drip), and he was the first to visit Periwinkle in the NICU (again, loopy over here). He was my rock during those first few crazy weeks and has been ever since. The babies light up when they see him and have so much fun playing with him on the floor. He's just an awesome daddy to them. And an awesome hubby to me.

Hello Again

I know I've been neglecting the blog lately. So sorry! But with two babies who are figuring out how to get around there's no more just putting them down and doing other things anymore. They can scootch off the couch at will, roll all over the place, rotate, switch places on the blanket on the floor, amble far off of the blanket in the blink of an eye, and Periwinkle is even figuring out how to reverse-crawl to some degree. No rest for this mama!

On the move

Periwinkle is even getting really good at sitting up on her own. Indigo still needs the bumbo seat, or two boppies behind him, to stay upright. He'll get there. As usual, he's about a month behind her on the physical milestones.

 

 

Periwinkle got some new hairbows this week. Blue hates them and thinks they are unnecessary. Of course he also says he prefers me with no makeup, and makeup is VERY necessary, so you can see how I don't trust his opinion on girly things. Peri has been described as Aunt Jemima and Tupak Shakur. I think she's just adorable, either way! And she is obviously very happy with her new accessories.

Bag by the Love, Mich Collection (a high school friend makes awesome bags!)

She's been having some issues at daycare, however. For one, she has taken to shouting at her brother. She doesn't shout at any other kids, just him. And it startles him, and he gets that crazy wild-eyed look that he gets when he wakes up from naps or I use the flash on my camera. She's also taken to stealing toys from him. Whatever he is playing with, she tries to take. Once she gets it and he moves on, she wants that toy. It never ends. Once she finished her bottle first, so I sat her up. She promptly reached out for his bottle. I need to teach her about sharing...

Also this week I guess she and another baby a bit older than her were hanging out on the floor. The other baby took Periwinkle's socks off her feet and started waving them around in the air. Periwinkle burst into tears. I can't help thinking she wasn't upset so much that she found herself without her socks, but rather at the blatant taunting the other baby was doing. Because we are a pretty sock-free household once we get them home. I also can't help cracking up at the idea of the other baby stealing Peri's socks. All I know is that I've got my eye on that other baby now. No messing with my kiddo!

In any event, that's what's going on lately. I'll have a more Indigo-centric post in a few days.