Nathan's Baptism

We had the pleasure of celebrating Nathan's baptism at our church at the beginning of January. My whole family flew down for a long weekend and hung out at our new house while we prepped for the big day. Ryan's immediate family and aunt, uncle and grandmother also came to be with the monkey, so it was quite the crew at church!

The service was at 11 am so I was nervous how the bubs would behave since we had to interrupt his nap but he was so good the entire time! The church made it so special - we went up to the baptismal font with Kelly and Lincoln, Nathan's godparents, and after the pastors baptized him and prayed for him they walked him around the entire sanctuary while we sang a song just for Nathan. It was all very sweet and Nathan loved seeing the congregation.

After a round of photos (of course) we headed back to our house for lunch and cake. Nathan didn't last too long once we got back and slept for most of the afternoon but we enjoyed celebrating him anyway.

My mom sewed Nathan's christening gown and did such an amazing job putting it together. He looked so angelic! It was such a special day and so nice to be surrounded by so much family to celebrate our little one and the start of his relationship with God. I only hope we can continue to foster that bond so that he sees God in our house every day!

Eight Months

Nathan, you are eight months old!

Oh, monkey, how you get cuter by the day! You have such a sweet disposition and I love how easy it is to make you smile! We were worried about stranger anxiety for a little while but you seem to be comfortable around anyone and will crack a toothy grin to anyone that greets you.

You are still quite the chatterbox and "sing" or "talk" to me most of the day. I've hear lots of blabbering but no real words yet (although it really does sound like "mama" when you cry). You get pretty quiet around others, though - especially babies - maybe a bit of a shy boy? I think you are just content to sit back and listen, constantly observing the world around you. We always get comments on how alert you are!

You still have just the two bottom teeth but I just know you are going to get more soon. You teethe like crazy and welcome every toy (or anything, for that matter) with an open mouth, ready to chomp on it. You've battled your second cold this month but otherwise you are a healthy, growing boy. The cold has interfered a bit with your sleeping but for the most part you sleep through the night and take two good naps a day. It's wonderful!

Solids are still agreeing with you and we've tried all sorts of fruits and veggies. You are not a fan of anything beyond a puree, though, and make hilarious faces when we try to sneak in something with more texture like a puff or a Cheerio. Anything I try immediately gets spit out in a pool of drool. I guess you're just not ready yet!

We've found your ticklish spots and your Daddy just loves to breathe on the back of your neck to make you giggle. Your back is so sensitive I often find I can't rub it if I'm trying to put you down for a nap because it makes you squirm too much! You love it, though, and seem to be quite the little daredevil. I'm in trouble! You love to be tossed in the air, to swing, and to hang upside down. You're going to be a hand full!

You are sitting up really well but don't really show any signs of crawling. You are just not a rolly-polly baby and still hate tummy time, which makes it tough to roll. You've practiced standing on your own a few times and can do it for a second or two but are still really wobbly and not ready to be without support. When you start walking I just know you'll be running soon after - your feet never stop moving and you are constantly kicking your legs. You scoot around in the walker no problem and I can't take my eyes off you or you're in a completely different side of the house. You seem to love it!

It's been a really fun month filled with celebrations and all the wonder of Christmas. I can't believe how big you are getting but I absolutely love seeing the little boy you're becoming and all that personality that shines through. You are such a light in my life and I am so proud to be your mama!

Love you, buddy!
xoxo

Eight Month Stats:

Weight - 19 pounds

Diapers - size 3

Clothes - mostly 9 months, or 6-12 (depending on brand)