A letter to you at 8 months old

Yesterday was the first day I didn't
see you in sunlight-but i was sent
this beautiful picture.

Lots of Mums say that time goes fast when you have a baby but for me it feels like a long time ago since I last wrote you a letter. I've known you double the amount of time and you've learnt to do a lot.  The last time I wrote to you, while I was writing in face, you started sitting up by yourself. You had to lean right forward and support yourself with your hands  but it wasn't long from there until you were sitting up by yourself all the time. Now you can crawl, pull yourself up and shuffle along standing up! You love standing, and you always have since just a few weeks old. I think you'll be walking soon. You love walking while somebody holds your hands. correction- you love running while somebody holds your hands. You're not so great at crawling. its and army crawl although in the last few days you've definitely started to work a bit harder on your normal crawl. arts a ace really to see if you properly crawl first or if you just go straight to walking. Either way you can get wherever you want to go, which is a bit of a scary game changer for us.

At 6 months we started weaning you. I read a book all about baby lead weaning so we never have really done the typical puree mush. Food you like-hummus, cucumber, mango, pineapple. little bits of chocolate biscuit, pepper, gherkins

this is you typing x wDESXdfs xcixc        f5v  vcbnhi v fddkk nbgum

You just had to have your little contribution. You love the bright lights of the laptop. or the iPhone. or the iPad. or anything apple related. I worry that i've already made you a screen addict because you can't stay away from any of it. Music is still very much your passion. We can put anything on and you're not much interested but as soon as music comes on you're hooked. We've been watching bits of strictly come dancing, sesame street songs, some disney. Dad likes to play you chill out music, electro and the other day he sent me a picture of you smiling along as he sang you "The Ace of Spades" by Motorhead. But your most amazing musical feat so far was when we sat you at the piano and you played the first 5 notes of "Iron Man" by black sabbath. luckily Uncle joe was there as witness to this musical miracle or I'd never have trusted myself.

One of the biggest changes is that you don't sleep through the night any more. That's been a bit tough but we always knew we were very lucky that you slept through. Most of the time its fine but i have to say i miss those easy nights. You do seem to get more agitated these days. I think its because your body can't always do the things you want it to. Before you started crawling on your tummy you were much more frustrated. You can't wait to be running and jumping.

Sonny and Teddy Chatching up at the Zoo

Since last I wrote to you we've had a world of adventures big and small. You went to open air theatre to see shakespeare and then to stratford to see shakespeare house. You've been to lavender fields and the Scottish coast. You went to Edinburgh festival and saw your uncle performing the other guys and even though it was very loud you only cried once during a song about heart ache. You've been to the zoo and to the seaside with auntie liz and uncle sonny and seen a cave covered in shells. You've been mesmerised by the car lights as we stood on the side of the motorway and waited for a rescue vehicle and you've ridden lots and lots in your new car. You've spent lots of time with Nanny and Grandpa and Grandma and Grandad North. We had a big adventures in the big outdoor of Centre Parcs: we fed the ducks and you took like a duck to water in the swimming pool. We've had one tooth followed by two and three nearly in one fell swoop. We've seen the end of sleeping through the night and the start of three in a bed. We've danced to the seagull song and learnt Spanish with Mando. We watched fireworks in the park and listened to classical music. We've seen friends like Ken and Chris and Carla and Simon and Amy and Jen and Millie and lots and lots of time with Auntie Lisa and uncle joe and Auntie Janet and Auntie Melanie. You've been to your fast big party and played your first part in a film as baby Melanie, where you wore your first wig. We've had lots of park time laughed lots and lots and you've had lots of time to explore your surroundings. We've been to some yoga and you've started to get used to the bath and now we are getting excited for lots of christmas adventures. You've had two check ups at the hospital and your heart is healthy healthy healthy!

These two make each others day! 

I think you're growing in independence all the time. You are getting used to not having me around because I go to work on a Saturday and this week i've worked a few days more. I know this is a good thing and this is what has to happen. I know one day you'll be very independent from me and live in a different house and sometimes even be in different countries from me and that all that is a good thing but I just don't feel ready for it. I think i was happiest when you lived in my tummy and we couldn't be separated!

Sleeping on staycation

It scares me how much I'm forgetting. Its a funny feeling because I can remember it all, everything we've ever done but I just can't keep hold of it enough. I have the feeling that this is the most precocious time in my life and I want to hold on to every moment and I can't. I keep telling myself i need to get better at mindfulness- at just being in the moment with you and not analysing everything but I put it off. I want to be so much better at so many things. I want to be the best mum in the world for you. I'm trying!

Weight: last time you were weighed was a couple of months ago and you were 10k so no idea what you might be now

Food: 5 bottles of 240ml of goats milk bits of food here and there. I really want to get much more in a routine with your food and your naps. 

Medicines: Calpol to help with teething

Spot the scar? I can not believe how much its faded!

Hours sleep: 3-5 hours before you wake up for food. We have an elaborate bottle warmer situation involving tin foil, bottle warmer cases and an oven glove. 

Favourite toy: Ooo this is hard one. no one thing jumps out. i mean its not a toy but the object you always want is the phone. And also your mesmerised by the router. We are teaching you the word no by stopping you touching it! 

Favourite habit: Grabbing everything in your domain. Pulling yourself up. Head butting!!! 
Favourite thing to watch: Chu Chu Tv songs. Sesame street. 

My favourite thing: Your kind smiles. Your concentration face when you suck your bottom lip in. 

Daddy’s favourite thing: "That he's my family. Something that we share that nobody else does" 

Your Crush:Lisa 

Teeth: 3 all on the bottom. we predict number 4 is making a move on the top. 

Hair: Its blonder than it was and its not patchy on the sides any more. So far you've had two little haircuts. 

Clothes: I'm still getting you in the man cub t shirt! You're wearing it right now. I love your Santa onesie. We have matching t shirts that i love and i bought you a gorgeous dark blue jumper that I want for myself. 

Not as much as Mummy loves you! 

Nicknames: You're almost always teddy. I actually worry that theodore and theo might get left behind as names. I also call you toodles a lot due to your teddily toodle ted song. Matt uses bubbles a lot. I also call you Beauty or beauty boy because you really are! 

Holidays: Harrogate for my nanny’s funeral. Brighton for a get away, 3 trips to Driffield to see Grandma and Grandad (soon to be 4), staycation, Scotland in august, Centre Parcs   

Skills: putting your dummy in and out no problem. Crawling on your tummy. pulling yourself up on the furniture. Stopping what you're doing when we say no. Handling the phone! Eating- you're just starting to use your pincer grip too. 

Dummy: I honestly don't know where we'd be without it. 

Whats the best thing thats happened since last doing these questions: Daddy says:"  seeing you grow and develop. It fills me with hope." Mummy says: "Watching how much more present you are in the room. You're fully here now. A real little person. Also seeing you reach for me to be hugged or having you climb up on my knees or when you hug my neck. Feeling the love!"

Taken the day after the last letter age 4 months

Taken the day before this letter age 8 months.