8 Months Old Today!

Your baby boy, Matthew, is 35 weeks (Approximately 8.2 months) old now.

At eight months old, babies usually range from 25.25 inches long and 15.25 pounds (10th percentile) to 28.5 inches long and 20.5 pounds (90th percentile).

Once your baby starts pulling themselves up on furniture, it's time to inspect your home for rocking chairs, recliners, and anything else on wheels or that's unstable. If your baby tries to pull themselves up on an item that moves, shifts, or falls over, he or she can go tumbling (and the item can fall on top of him or her). Block his or her access to these unstable items as much as possible using baby gates or simply move the item to a room that is inaccessible to him or her.

If you are still nursing your baby, there may come a time when he or she just doesn't seem interested anymore. This is common in babies around this age. They are so interested in the world around them that they don't want to take time out to eat anymore - but it is generally just a phase and passes with time. When it's time to nurse, try moving into another room that is quiet and free of toys that could distract your baby. Turn off the TV and any other noises that might pique his or her curiosity. Also try nursing him or her when he or she is sleepy - a tired baby might be more apt to stop playing so that he or she can eat.

Your baby understands more of what you say and he or she may comprehend common words like "ball" and "bottle." Satisfy his or her thirst for knowledge by reading him or her lots of baby books and telling him or her the name for everything. He or she's taking in every word!

To comment on the newsletter...my husband said that yesterday Matthew started using his (my husband's) hands to pull himself up from a sitting to a standing position. He wouldn't do it for me, though. I have also noticed Matthew being less interested in breastfeeding lately, although I think that has more to do with not wanting to wait than being distracted, since I only breastfeed at night and before work. So he's sleepy every time he eats. But, he DOES get frustrated with waiting for the milk...it takes longer for let down now than it used to. And the bottles have spoiled him with instant gratification :o) He loves being read to, some things more than others. Mr. Brown Can Moo, Can You (or, Can Matthew!) is one of his favorites, along with the Happy Man and His Dumptruck and Goodnight Moon. Everytime you talk about the cow jumping over the moon he squeals. Not sure why, but it's awfully cute :o)

In other news, Matthew went out in the snow for the very 1st time last Sunday, as evidenced in the picture up above. He also ate 2 whole jars of Stage 3 foods yesterday! Pears for lunch and then turkey w/rice & garden vegetables for dinner. It was a lot less lumpy than the chicken noodle dinner (which he gagged on a lot) so he got it down pretty fast. He also tried yogurt for the first time over the weekend. He didn't hate it, but I don't think it's his favorite either.

Well, that's about it I guess. Happy 8 month Birthday, Matthew! Such a big boy :o)