The Reed Family: 8 Months

Little buddy turned 8 months old yesterday! I attempted to take some pictures on the chair this morning before church, but I was not very successful and you will see at the end that the photo shoot got hijacked by a certain 3 year old who couldn't understand why I wasn't taking his picture. Oh the drama around here. :)

Harrison is struggling big time with his ears this month. I had to take him back to the doctor last week to be told yet again that the ear infection is still there, after a round of the stronger antibiotics AND a shot the week before. I knew it was still there going in, but still. I was just hoping that maybe it was something else. Our doctor was able to get us into the ENT tomorrow. I'm pretty sure this newest antibiotic is not doing anything either so the sooner we can get the tubes, the better. I can't wait to have our happy baby back and not have to change his outfit 6 times a day because he has poop up to his ears. Sorry for the TMI, but it's life around here right now! But really, I hate it for him. I know he's been in pain for a long time now. You can't even change a diaper without him screaming from laying down. It's horrible and it just hurts my heart.

At 8 months, Harrison is really trying to get moving. He's finally rolling around on the floor and when you put him in one spot, he usually doesn't stay there for very long. He's not crawling yet, but he's got the army crawl backwards down pat. He's even trying to pull up on things already, which is crazy. He loves standing up. I keep trying to tell him that he's got to crawl first, but he doesn't understand that! I'm still not ready for crawling, much less pulling up on things! Slow down buddy!

He's says "ba ba ba" all the time and I think a few times he has said "Dada" at Joel, but I'm not positive about that. I know that when we say Dada, he knows who we're talking about and will look at Joel. That's pretty exciting. Of course, I've been trying with "mama" for months, but I know he probably won't say that first. He definitely knows who Mama is and that's all that matters! :) Hudson can't stand that we are trying to get him to say dada and mama. He corrects us every time by saying, "It's Mommy and Daddy!"

He is still clapping up a storm and tonight he even started opening and closing his hand like he was waving. When I would do it, he would do it. Another thing that he's copying is when we shake our head no at him. Also, when I sing a song to him or he hears music, he starts dancing and moving his head all around. It's so cute. I think he's going to like music like his big brother does! I love that we're finally getting this interaction with him!

He has not been loving the jumperoo anymore, which is sad. He does not like to be constrained in there. Hudson loved that thing for so long, but Harrison just isn't as crazy about it. Harrison hates it when I leave the room, and when I put him in the jumperoo, it's usually so I can get some things done and it just doesn't work out so well. Speaking of not liking me leave the room, he also cries when I drop him off at daycare. I really don't like this separation anxiety stage! It makes me feel awful!

His schedule is pretty predictable these days. He's still taking four 8 ounce bottles and baby food twice a day. I'm about to add a third meal in there as well. I have started giving him some bites of real food and he's taking them like a champ. Never once has he gagged on anything. It still stresses me out big time for him to eat real food because I'm terrified of him choking on something, but he has shown that he's ready to start some things and I guess it's just part of it! He is taking two pretty good naps a day and sleeps the best on his tummy. He's still sleeping through the night, thank goodness! It he is asleep on his back, he likes to sleep with a blanket over his head and holds a stuffed animal. I know, it's a little scary, but he puts it there! He loves his paci too and can put it in and take it by himself for the most part--sometimes it's upside down, but he doesn't care!