Time sure does fly when you're having fun and are busy, tired, sleep deprived and wrangling two small little people.  I can't believe my boys are 8 months old!  I was looking back at newborn pictures of the boys the other night thinking "how did they get so big, when it was just yesterday that they were this tiny"  And while time is cruel and doesn't slow down, I am truly enjoying Will and James at this age.  They are changing and learning new things almost daily and showing off their personalities more and more.

It is becoming harder and harder to get a picture with both of them happy smiling and looking at the camera!

James
Height: approx. 27.75 inches (birth 18.5 inches)
Weight: approx. 19.5 lbs (birth 5lbs 9oz)

William
Height: approx. 27.75 inches (birth 18.5 inches)
Weight: approx. 19.5 lbs (birth 5lbs 13oz)


EAT
Food has been a big change this month.  Last month the boys started trying solid foods and this month they have continued and are now eating basically anything I give them and even sharing food with me.  We all sit down and have dinner together in the evening and they are also usually getting at least one other meal of solid food either in the morning or afternoon depending on what we are doing that day.  William was hesitant last month and unsure about food, but has decided that he enjoys it just as much as James does.  I really can't have a bite to eat now in sight of them without them insisting that they get a taste also.   They have branched out from veggies this month and tried fruits, eggs, yogurt, meat, and breads.  They really enjoyed getting to have french toast for dinner one night.

SLEEP
Ahh Sleep, how I have missed you!  Will and James continue to struggle with sleeping at night, which means I am also struggling to get a good nights rest as well.  I'm not sure what is causing them to wake up at night but they are and are insisting on being nursed most times, which is definitely a regression for them.  They are both waking several times a night.  I am hoping that this will end soon, but I'm not seeing any improvements yet so we will see.  If anyone has any suggestions on how to improve their sleeping please let me know!!!

We have continued our same bed time routine except now it starts with dinner.  So we have dinner, bath, bottle and singing and then bed.  Most nights the boys are both asleep by 7:00 in their cribs.

DEVELOPMENT, GROWTH AND PLAY
This has been a month of development and change thats for sure.  I feel like almost everyday the boys are surprising are with something new they can do.

Let's start with movement:  We officially have one army crawler in our house... William!  (which was a big surprise to me, I thought that James would start moving first)  One morning my phone was on the ground and Will wanted it so he just started pulling himself to it and has never looked back, any where he wants to go he gets there now.  James continues to roll around to get places but has officially made it all the way up onto his hands and knees, belly off the ground

We officially have no more gummy smiles in our house, which I find bittersweet.  Both boys popped their bottom two teeth!  James popped his right bottom tooth and few day later his left one also popped through.  William got his left bottom tooth on the same day James got his left bottom tooth and the next day his right one started to make an appearance as well.

This month the boys have really started to interact and notice each other.  They will lean forward and babble back and forth while sitting in their high chairs.  They will roll around on the ground and wrestle and steal toys from each other, it is a lot of fun watching them interact and develop a bond!

This month they also rode in a shopping cart for the first time at Target, instead of in their stroller.  They were pretty proud of themselves and you could tell they thought the whole experience was pretty cool!

They boys continue to wear 6-9 month clothes for the most part, depending on the brand.  But they have moved to 12 month jammies and are now sporting big boy 2 piece jammies, given to us by our good friends Kate, Ross and Joan, most nights instead of the footie pjs.  The new pjs make them look so grown up!

James


James what a month you have had!  I can't believe you are eight months old.  You are so sweet and social.  When we are out and about you are quick to give any stranger a big smile.  For the most part when we are at play group you are happy to let any one of the other mommies hold and snuggle you.  You officially made it up onto your hands and knees this month and I can tell you really want to figure out how to move forward, the only thing holding you up is you can't quite figure out how to move your hands forward without flopping back down onto your belly.  You also got your first teeth this month.  I was very impressed with how your handled your teething I didn't even know you were popping any teeth until I put my finger in your mouth and there was already part of a tooth there.  You did not seem too phased by it at all.  While during the day you are pretty independent you have become a big mommy's boy at night requiring me to snuggle/rock you to sleep and sometimes even coming to sleep in mommy's bed.  I love you James and am so blessed to be your mommy!

Love you forever!


William


My sweet William, I really wish time would slow down a little so I could keep you tiny.  You had a big month and are officially on the move!  You can army crawl!  My phone was on the ground and you just took off after it and basically haven't looked back since.  You can now get to any object to want to and are pretty pleased with yourself.  You also started to use the "baba" sound.  One morning I woke up and you were laying next to me and just started "bababa"ing away.  I love hearing your sweet little voice.  You have both of your bottom teeth now, it was bittersweet when your first tooth came in because you were my last gummy smile in the house and I will miss your sweet baby toothless smiles.  You have become quite attached to mommy lately and do not like in when others hold you.  As soon as someone other than mommy picks you up your bottom lip starts to pucker and you start to cry.  I wish you would let other people enjoy holding you but it sure is sweet when I take you back and you immediately stop crying and hold on to me as tight as you can.  I love that I get to be your mommy William and I look forward to continuing to watch your sweet personality develop.

Love you forever!