Dear Max,

On Sunday, Jan 2nd, the second day of 2011, you turned eight months.  Eight months.  Where does the time go?  I am so afraid that I am not going to remember each month of your first year.  You've changed so much in the last couple of weeks.  You are now more independent and your personality is starting to shine through.  I love it.

You celebrated your first Christmas.  Santa brought you a bumble bee Pillow Pet and a crawling toy.  On Christmas morning, I put you down in front of the tree and your gifts and you smiled, and didnt know where to look first. 

You met Santa for the first time, you had absolutely no interest in him, but rather the other kids that were there. 

We traveled to Florida again to see your Aunt Sharon, Uncle Geno and cousins Nicholas, Erika and Zachary for your Uncle Geno's retirement from the Air Force.  You love being around all the kids.  You just watch them and observe.  Once again, you did awesome during the travel.

You are SO close to crawling.  You get up on your hands and knees and rock back and forth.  Then you drop to the floor and wildly kick your legs.  Or you'll lift one leg up in the air. 

You are rolling all over the place.  I had to put up the baby gate for the first time so that you wouldnt roll over to the stairs and find yourself at the bottom. 

You are exercising your pincher grasp everyday.  I will put whole grain snacks on the high chair tray for you and you'll pick them up one by one and put them in your mouth. 

When sitting, you are able to get items that are out-of-reach. 

You have learned that you have a voice and that you can yell or raise your voice.  You like hearing yourself.  You prefer yelling over anything else.  You are babbling more and more and you are putting together consonants and vowels.  You are currently saying, or what sounds like, 'ah-dah'.

You cut another tooth.  That makes tooth number three.  This one is on the upper jaw, left front tooth.  You had a loss of appetite and lots of disruptive sleep. 

You love the bouncy chair.  You'll bounce for a while, then you'll start to whine or cry to get my attention.  I'll say, 'I see you!' or 'Way to go!' and you smile and back to bouncing. 

Like always, I look forward to each day with you.  I cant wait to see what you will do next.  You are a trooper when you are dealing with my new mom insecurities and worries about your NORMAL development.  I am sorry you are the guinea pig.  But I am thankful it is you that gets to be with me on this journey.  You are currently sleeping in your crib and all I want to do is tip-toe into the room and watch you sleep. 

I love you Max.

Love, Mom

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
This month's montage.  Little dude will be walking away from the scene!