Happy Eight Months!

Luke is eight months old today!

Dear Luke,

This has been a big month for you - you've learned to pull yourself up to a standing position! On EVERYTHING! And mostly, on Mommy and Daddy and Mocha. You're starting to climb up us like the soft, moving jungle gyms that we are, reaching and grabbing for our hands, our clothes, and our faces. We're not too happy about using our faces to pull up, though. Stop it.

To that end, you understand 'No!' and you don't like it. When we tell you no, or remove you from something you shouldn't be doing (like playing with the dog's food, as she looks pitifully on thinking You let him take my toys and noe he's going to eat my food too!?!?), you hunker down, stick your bottom lip out, and let out an angry cry. And you look right at us to ensure it has the effect you want.

You've done other notable things this month, like figuring out 'So BIG!'. We ask you 'How big is Lucas?' and you throw your arms up in the air and push your head back so you have a double chin and your head is one big, round, blob. I've tried to take some pictures of this, but they've come out really strange looking, so I haven't posted them anywhere. Yet.

You can also slide down the slide (a small one) ALL BY YOURSELF. Well, I have to put you in the precise position at the top, and then you start bouncing yourself to try and get going, until you finally dislodge from position and slip down the 2 feet to my waiting arms. You love it. You also love the swing, which Daddy found out when he took you out of it because you had to head to the store. You. Weren't. Done. Swinging.

And oh, how you hate the car seat. Specifically, being put into the car seat. Mommy has taken to singing stupid songs with strange accents to make you stop the screaming and the back arching so we can get somewhere. Sometimes the songs will make you be quiet for a few minutes so I can get you in there. Other things you hate: bedtime and naptimes, having your diaper or clothes changed. If you'd just let me change you without the flipping over it would be done SO FAST, darling. So STOP IT.

You are a fabulous play-er, though. You are perfectly content to be sitting with Mommy or Daddy or Grandma, playing with your toys. Towers still attract you from across the room, which is hysterical to see, your little legs kicking and arms dragging you in full speed. I don't think you really want to knock them down, since you never seem happy when they fall, but you have to check it out, every time.

'Motorboat' is your favorite noise, and if someone starts a motorboat, you join right in. You're reaching and grabbing, opening and closing, putting toys in the box and taking them out of the box, over and over again. You're fascinated by doors and how they swing - rooms doors, baby gate, cabinet doors. Open. Close. You get very upset when you've been trying to do something and it just won't work, and you can't get the doggie out of it's dog house, or the block (which is not part of that toy, so it doesn't fit anyway) through the hole. And you're not too amenable to being 'helped', you clutch at me and cry in despair MOOOOOM, it doesn't WORK!.

You're a cool kid, Luke. I kinda like you.