Grayson {8 Months}

It is really not fair to us parents to have our kids grow up this fast. I wish I could say Grayson is only 1 month, but in fact, he is already 8 months!! I just can not believe how stinkin fast time goes with kids. Crazy!! Thank goodness I soak up each second with my boys, I just can't seem to get enough of them.

This month has been one of the busiest, craziest months with Grayson so far. He has changed and achieved so much this month and I don't even know where to start. 

Ok, let's start with my favorite subject...sleep!

Grayson has been a different sleeper than Camden from the very beginning. I have been tempted to let him cry it out on many different occasions, but I just couldn't do it. I am sure if I would have done it earlier on, maybe he would have slept through the night sooner, but my fragile heart couldn't handle it. I made a promise {to myself, which means I could change it at any time, duh!} that I would allow him to nurse in the middle of the night up until he started on solid foods. I just figured that a big, growing boy, who is not eating solid food, might be more hungry throughout the night. So around 6 months I tried food with him and he hated it. Well, guess it was not time to cry it out yet. Then right after he hit 7 months he decided food was the best thing since breast milk {haha} and he was ready to start eating away. I was hoping that since he was eating more during the day, he would for sure sleep better at night. Well, that was not the case, because 4, I repeat, 4, teeth all decided to come in at one time!!! Oh and then he learned to stand in his crib and the only way to get down from standing was to fall. So now, he is eating solid food, getting in 4 teeth, and crashing any time he stands in his bed. This made for some long nights.... Then we went on vacation for a week and he had to sleep in our room. Ok, enough excuses. Lets just say the first few weeks after he turned 7 months old were pretty crazy!! So let's talk about the "now". Now, we are back from vacation, the 4 teeth that came in are all doing well, and Grayson can now sit from his standing position in his crib all by himself. I knew this was my chance to let him cry it out. A week ago, I gave it a go. I put him to bed after his dinner, bath, and nursing. A few hours after he fell asleep he sat up crying, then stood and cried for a little while. I watched him on the monitor, and after only 15 minutes of crying, he sat down, then laid down and fell back to sleep. He slept the rest of the night. What?! Is it really that easy?! The next night, same thing, but he only cried for 10 minutes. The third night, same thing, 10 minutes and he was back out. The fourth night, he never woke up. Slept for 12 hours straight. It has now been 3 nights of no waking up and sleeping 12+ hours. Can I get a "Hallelujah"?! I am so glad he is sleeping good now, and I do not regret a single moment that I spent up with him in the middle of the night. My mommy instincts were my best navigator, and I'm glad I knew when the timing was right. And now that I am getting more sleep than ever, I am feeling like a new woman!! Yay for sleeping babies!!

Ok, food is another favorite subject of mine, so let's talk food.

Grayson has become such a great eater this month. He just didn't want to start at the "normal" age, he wanted to wait an extra month. Totally fine with me! But, now that he is eating solid food, I can not give him enough. He now only nurses when falling asleep for naps and bedtime . {sad! I love nursing and I wish he would still nurse all day, but he won't}. So he eats 3 solid meals a day, plus some snacks to keep him entertained while we run errands or while I cook. He loves to feed himself, and he is better at getting food in his mouth than Camden ever was. I make him homemade baby puree's, then give him little finger foods as well. Right now he is loving scrambled eggs, cheese, greek yogurt, green beans pureed, sweet potatoes, broccoli with brown rice, banana's, grapes, butternut squash, melons, pears, apricots, avocado, oatmeal, and puffs. He has had some other stuff as well, we give him tastes of anything off our plate if he wants it. Having a second child is so different than a first. We never let Camden eat anything but what was recommended for his age. With Grayson, he just eats whatever he wants. Thankfully we don't have any known food allergies in our families, so he should be good eating just about anything. I just love his new interest in food, even though meal times are double the work now. I am just glad he loves to eat like his big brother. 

Other things he has been up to this month:

He crawls all over the entire house. I can't get him to sit still for even 1 second.

He stands on anything and everything, and is even beginning to climb. He climbed our entire flight of stairs with me behind him. He needed no help at all! I'm so scared of his bravery.

He LOVES bath time with Camden. He crawls all around the tub and will hardly sit still for me to wash him. 

He still LOVES his paci. 

He is wearing size 4 diapers, 12-18 month clothes and a few 18-24 month things.

He thinks he can stand on his own and will let go of whatever he is holding onto. He usually falls in a graceful manner and hasn't had too many bad crashes.

He is now in a big boy car seat and he loves it.

He is still a Mama's boy, especially in group settings. He doesn't like to be passed around, he would prefer that I always have him. I am ok with that, he is my special little man! 

He no longer naps when we are out and about. We have to be home for nap time or else he will skip his nap altogether.

He has 6 teeth. 2 on bottom, 4 on top.

We think he is going to be a lefty like Mama. He grabs food and toys with his left hand all the time.

He is getting good at baby talk, and he loves to say Dada, but nothing else.

Grayson, we are so amazed by you and the crazy boy you are becoming. We love your excitement about life and the new things you are learning. You are so curious and want to be a part of everything we are doing. You love your big brother and the two of you already share a special bond that only brothers can have. Yes, he sometimes beats up on you, but you take his toys away from him to get him back. I know the 2 of you are going to be amazing friends, and I love seeing you 2 interact. Thanks for being my special snuggle bug, and allowing me to be the one you want when you are tired or sad. I love that you are becoming more independent, and I am sad for the day you stop nursing and stop needing me all the time. I am going to soak up all of you that I can while you are still little. You are my sweet lovey and your Dad and I are so thankful you are ours! 

We love you Gray Gray!!