Monthly report: Eighth month -- How'd you get so mobile?

Dear Benevolent Dictator --

HOLY SHIT! YOU'RE TEETHING! I had to get that out there right now. I thought they'd never come, but a few days ago, I put my hand in your mouth and found something sharp and jagged lurking underneath the gumline. Finally your teeth are arriving -- as if the waking up earlier and earlier and slightly more cranky mood weren't a good indicator.

Really, you're a mellow baby -- you're quick to smile, easy to giggle and tolerate a lot from both Mom and Dad -- so the only change in your mood is that you're acting like a normal baby now. You're a little more irritable and a little more cranky, but not enough to make me consider selling you to a band of gypsies.

This apparently is a big month for milestones. You've begun scooting around on your tummy and rolling around, which is making diaper changes a little bit of a challenge. Before you were born, I wondered why your Auntie Stella held her kids down with one of her legs while changing their diapers. Now I understand why. You can't reason with a baby and doing stuff like holding you down quickly with a leg, giving you a toy or just moving as fast as possible is easier than saying, "No honey. We don't roll over while diapers are being changed."

This brings up another challenge -- childproofing our deathtrap of a house. I felt bad enough one day when you were sitting on the bathroom floor, fell forward and bumped your head. The cries of pains and woe hurt my heart as I attempted to comfort you.

Oh, and would it kill you to say "Ma ma" instead of all the "Da" sounds you're making? While it's adorable and al that, I'd like a little love for Mama. But it will come I guess. I'm just amused that you're talking a lot now. You're also back to blowing raspberries after taking a little break. Those raspberries are also being blown during dinner and into my hair and on my shirt.

You really enjoy talking. You shriek with joy when you see Daddy or me after we've been gone for awhile. You reach out for us to hold you, but you're also chill with other people holding you. This month has been terrible with heavy snows, so we can't go out as much as I'd like. Instead, we spend a lot of time at home, watching the snow from our chairs. The look of wonder on your eyes is an enchanting sight. It does make being snowed in a little bit more tolerable.

I don't know how we got lucky to have such a sweet kid as you, and maybe you'll grow up to be a hellion. But dammit, no matter what, you're our sweet little hellion and we love you to death.

Love,

Momma