8 months

I'm a week behind on posting Leo's 8 month update, but I kinda doubt anyone was waiting on the edge of their seat waiting to hear what he's been up to ;)
If you were, then you are in luck because I'm about to share all things Leo!

This past week was definitely the busiest we've had since moving to Florida.

I spent two days getting the car checked up/fixed... we've basically replaced every single part of this van this year.  I wish I was exaggerating, but it's like once we're in this deep might as well fix another $300 worth to keep it going for the next couple years... I am so thankful for this van, don't get me wrong, I just long for the days in Grenada when we didn't have a car at all! haha the next best thing though has to be a lease!  I LOVE our leased car!  I think I want to lease for ever!  Brand new, no maintenance.
aaaaaaanyway.

Then this week was Halloween and I of course spent way too much time working on costumes. Thrift store hunting, craft store, and last minute runs to the dollar tree. Even Leo's store bought costume I had to go and mess with.  I think that's a sign of some type of control issue perhaps.
I am very happy with the end result though!! Leo's Grandma Coghill bought the costume last year after Halloween on sale and was almost too small to squeeze him into, but we made it!
 Pictures to follow.

On Thursday I did a community tour for two applicants interviewing at Lee's program, which was fun.  I've always wanted to be a tour guide!  Hopefully I'll get to do more of those types of things.

And then the biggie - yesterday was our Fall Block Party at church!!
I was at church for TWELVE hours straight yesterday, which would have been a long time no matter what, but I also was doing this with Leo and no Lee for about 8 of those hours because Lee was working. (Lee's on his inpatient rotation and has been working about 14 hour days - boo)
I did have lots of help from others though, every time I'd turn around another  person would have Leo, haha, thankfully we haven't  got to the stranger anxiety stage yet and maybe with all the interaction with others we'll skip it?? I can hope... I love that Leo is so social and friendly with others.  He makes people's day by smiling and letting them hold him.  I makes my heart feel all mushy.

The block party was a HUGE success! It went better than I could have ever expected.  We had so many people from the community come!  I probably didn't know more than half of the people there!  There were kids everywhere!  I guess that's what happens when you have free bounce houses, candy, and food! :)

Needless to say I was very, very thankful for that extra hour this weekend.  I didn't get any extra sleep, but I did get some more things done!
Leo adjusted to the time change quite well but we also had him out until about 11pm that night at a party so.....  it's only Halloween once a year, right?
We don't have him out late often, with the exception of Wednesday night church, but when we do he handles it great.
Have I ever mentioned that I hit the jackpot of babies?

At 8 months Leo is seriously the funnest and sweetest he's ever been, but also the most curious and investigative.  He must know about everything.  He climbs in and over whatever is in his path to get to where he wants to be.
We've basically given him free reign of the entire living room, dining area, and hallway. I've found it easiest to just close all the doors in the house and put the packnplay up blocking the kitchen and let him do what he wants.   I also think this has helped with the separation stuff because he can follow me where ever he wants or be across the room playing with his toys and not feel like I've left him because there is no barrier up.  I mean, this could be completely untrue, but it seems like it to me.

I also think this is why he's so mobile.  I give him lots of space to explore and opportunities to cruise on stuff.
He has gotten so fast.  He flies across the room.  And he loves to be chased, he'll giggle and crawl away and then stop and look back to see how close you are.  He's so fun.



A couple days after he turned 8 months he started clapping his hands!  I should probably be sharing that on the 9 month post... but whateves.  It's so sweet!!!!

Before he turned 8 months he could stand for a few seconds here and there.  Only when he wants to.  I think walking is not far off... but I can wait.

He now has 4 teeth!  Two bottom and his two eye teeth - fangs just in time for Halloween :)

He has figured out feeding himself and we're practicing with more and more foods.
His favorite might still be oatmeal, but I've been giving him that less and less and introducing more foods.  He had yogurt for the first time a few weeks ago and loved it.
We've given him a lot of the common allergens - strawberries, eggs, and peanut butter.  Thank God he has not had a reaction to peanuts!  I started by letting him just lick some off of my finger (the all natural, just peanuts kind) and did that for a few days (and didn't introduce anything else new) and then gave it to him on some toast and he loves that.  He'll eat a whole piece of bread with peanut butter on it!
Lee said now that he's had it with no reaction we need to keep giving it to him at regularly to ensure he doesn't develop an allergy.  I'm like I'll do what I have to do to ensure I can keep peanut butter in my house.  I LOVE it.
Something else he's liked ok is ground turkey crumbles.  And lemons. haha we gave him one in a restaurant to watch his reaction and nothing. he just sucked on it.




I had to take Leo to the doctor this past month for what I thought might be an ear infection, but turned out to be a bunch of clogged wax. bleh.  The dr scraped out his ears and so.much.wax came out it was sick, but thankfully it wasn't an infection!  Leo's made it 8months+ with no medications! yay!
He was just a little over 24lbs then!

This month he also went to the zoo for the first time!  He liked it ok and I can assume will only lovae it more and more as he gets older.  We got a year long membership!



He attended his first magic show and stayed awake and attentive the entire time.  He loved it!  It was actually a real show for adults to benefit the children's hospital.  Our friends from church are professional magicians and comedians and they were performing so it was so much fun!!  They are incredible and I was dumbfounded several times.  He did a card trick that was unreal.  I'll have to see if it's posted online anywhere!

Other than that we've been going to MOPS, the beach, walks to the park, and church.  He is the most popular kid in the church.  The teens call him their mascot and I'm never lacking for someone to hold or entertain him.

His favorite things right now are -
the bathroom (if I'll let him in there) especially the shower curtain - it's the best
any open doors - he MUST get to them and see what's on the other side.  He crawled pretty much an entire basketball court (the sanctuary at church doubles as a gym) to get to an open door the other day.
his new musical, light up book I got for 50cents at a yard sale.  score!
being chased
crawling under things - baby needs a tunnel
crawling on mommy and daddy while we lay in the floor
the swimming pool




He's so sweet it hurts me.  I wish you could touch his little cheeks.  They are always so soft and the perfect temperature - if that makes sense.  They are just like begging to be kissed.
And he just has this angelic face and when looks at me and smiles it makes me melt.  Like literally my knees liquefy and I can't stand.
Oh Leo I just love being your mommy!

 He also figured out how to open these doors if they're not latched! ah! 

shower curtain fiend 

 Canadian Thanksgiving :) This is the day I gave him his first turkey! haha!

and this is why we don't "lock" him up often... he acts like it's the end of the world... does this mean he's spoiled?

I never would have guess that a 7 month old could "play" at the park... but he loves it! 

into eeeeeverything.

 at the zoo with momma and daddy! lucky duck!

 it was a rough morning... :)

 playing with our letters!  They're supposed to be for the bath... but I'm just not a fan of playing in the tub yet.  He's too slippery. 

on the bridge to the beach!  It's about 75-100 ft up in the air and it was a windy day - he loved it!! 

Notice he has an 8 on his shirt? :) 

I have more and hopefully better quality pictures on my camera - if I ever get them onto the computer that is!