Kennedy is 8 Months!!!

My little girl is growing up so fast. I feel like it is going by much faster than Caden’s first year did. I neglected a 7 month post so this one will cover the last two months. A recap of where we were at six months…Kennedy was just starting to scoot, she was barely swallowing baby food, and putting everything in her mouth. A lot has changed although she still puts everything she can find in her mouth. She started army crawling around 6.5 months and by 7.5 months was crawling on all fours. She is so cute to watch because she is so determined and then when she accomplishes something she is so proud of herself. She is very skilled at getting from sitting to crawling to laying down to kneeling. Just last week she started pulling herself up and today to my horror she started letting go and trying to stand alone. She is starting to take steps behind her play stroller so it is only a matter of time before she puts it together and starts walking. I was just reading over old posts and Caden started walking a week after he learned to pull up. I’m hoping she is slightly less nuts than him but I’m not holding my breath!

Kennedy is getting really good at entertaining herself although she wants me to stay really close by at all times though. She crawls all over the playroom and helps herself to any toy she wants. She even pulls up on the bookshelves to reach higher toys. At least she isn’t old enough to try to climb them like Caden does (yes mom, everything is bolted to the walls…) She also really likes to jump in her bouncer. She sits there jump jump jumping and watching Caden play. Watching brother is one of her favorite pastimes and who can blame her. He is a little tornado of energy running everywhere telling stories and making noises. Man is he noisy! Unless he is asleep he is making constant noise! Kennedy enjoys lounging on her side and watching things. Sometimes while lounging she does leg lifts. It really looks like she is doing aerobics She LOVES balloons and laughs instantly at them. She is less interested in the walker since she can crawl now. Crawling allows her to put many more things in her mouth. I feel like every time I turn around she is chewing on something forbidden. Keeping the house baby proofed is much harder with Caden helping.

Kennedy is a big strong girl. At her last doctors appointment she weighed 19 lbs 6 oz. I don’t know how tall she was but I do know that she is wearing 12-18 month clothes for length. She had a few different sicknesses the last two months but was generally healthier than before. A few colds, an ear infection and a sinus infection. When she is sick she is impossible to get to sleep which has been incredibly straining on Adam and I. But when she is well she is as sweet as can be. When Kennedy smiles her entire face contorts her grin is so big. It is the best smile ever and she gives it freely. I love it! She also giggles and is really starting to talk to us. She coos in sentence form with inflection and everything. Caden was such a quiet baby (other than the screaming) that baby talk is a new experience and one we are really enjoying. She has started to say dadada and sometimes repeats it over and over from her crib which of course I use as an excuse for Dad to take a turn She seems to be pretty sensitive and easily gets upset with this pitiful slow motion pout/cry. She gets upset if she can’t see me or I leave her alone. She also gets upset when Caden gets in trouble which is unfortunately often. He has hit a stage of constant testing and pushing the limits. This time around is much more challenging because he is smarter and much more articulate and ridiculously stubborn. Ugh…I hate it.

I just can’t believe how big she is! The kids are starting to interact some which is generally really sweet. Of course there is the occasional shoving and the frequent toy stealing. But I came in the other day to find Caden reading a novel he calls his Bible to Kennedy and telling her “See Kendy, God made us special.” That made all the lack of sleep and crazy long days worth it. I figure at this point that I have not slept through the night for 2.5 of the last 3 years between the two kids. Some days I do fine and other days I am a wreck. There is nothing easy about being a stay at home mom expect that I don’t have to shower and get dressed every day (although I’m sure that would be a good idea anyway ) Kennedy slept through the night the last two nights for the first time in over four months so I’m hoping there is a light at the end of the tunnel.

She’s still a little messy