Big Girls

Adding a picture to this post would actually require that I find the camera from our travel extravaganza, so... it'll be words only until then.

Just before departing on our adventure to the great north (a blog post to come), Phoebe turned eight months old. EIGHT! Can you believe it? I cannot, surely, fathom a time when time has so quite literally flown. She's changing so fast, too! Here are some things that our little one is enjoying and doing:

• Eating all kinds of big girl foods: baby goldfish, cheerios, peas, carrots, "crunchies" (rice puffs), crackers, and whatever other treats Mommy and Daddy generously share (Daddy is far more generous than Mommy)
• We're also eating meat, sort of... she hates it all by itself, but will eat it if it's mixed with a fruit or veggie.
  
• Crawling extremely fast... and she just gets faster
• Pulling up in our crib and on low furniture, like her toy chest
• Dumping and picking through baskets -- she especially loves to carefully choose several "babies" to love on, or finding paper tucked away in a basket
• Loves to read more and more... she's starting to sit still for a full book, rather than just finding a way to put it in her mouth
• Tearing/pulling things apart (you should see her with this one stretchy "livestrong" type bracelet...)
• She absolutely loves tags of any kind... including zippers and Jake's tag
• She's beginning to "share" -- will often offer whatever it is she has in her mouth to Mommy, Daddy, Jake... what a generous little darling!
• Phoebe is beginning to use a cup, sort of. She can bring a bottle (without handles) and a cup (with handles) to her mouth, and will chew on the top or nipple, but will seldom suck. Auntie Danielle bought her a special cup when we were in New Hampshire that she was successful with, but we've only tried it once.
  
• We're teething. Interminably. We pray constantly that she will get through this. And that we will, too.
  
• Sleeping (related to teething) has not been good, and is still not good. We're looking at some sleep training again after Thanksgiving.
• Responds to her name, and "No"... most of the time. Will also raise her arms up to get out of her high chair, exersaucer, etc... we're still working on traditional signs, bye-bye, etc.
  
• Babbles blah-blah, la-la, and bah-bah... occasionally we'll hear the "p" sound, but she only whispers it. We hear the "m" sound when she cries, and Michael swears he's heard, "Oh Daddy, I love you so much," but I'm doubtful.
• Absolutely LOVES bathtime. We have graduated from the sink to an inflatable tub to the big girl tub all in about a month. Big tub is totally her favorite, and she would be content to splash for a full hour I think.
• She is very friendly, and loves to "flirt" with other babies and adults.
  

I'm realizing that I could never list all of the things that Phoebe does that delights us... we are continually blessed by our Little. God is so gracious to share this little one with us.

Pictures to come soon!