Our Little Guy: Eight Months Old

Happy 8 months, Little Mango!!

What has Cruz been up to?

• Big News: Cruz has had a VERY busy month. First, he has taken on a love for a little mouse, called Mickey and is obsessed with Mickey Mouse Clubhouse. I know, I know...I shouldn't be starting him on TV...blah, blah, blah. But as he's been sick, sometimes it's the only thing that gets us through a breathing treatment...so don't judge! Little man has also had a busy month full of baseball with the College World Series in town - we hit up a game and spent a day in the hospitality tents around the stadium...we also got him his first baseball hat. Then he had five whole days with grandma Carol while we were on Carly's birthday trip to Vegas and in Denver celebrating two great friends' wedding. He loved his time with her and always has a great time when he's with his grandparents and family. In swimming news, Cruz is a little fish and has taken to the water (and his swimming lessons) so well. This month he has been going completely under the water with no problems!

See...this is the face he makes EVERY time Mickey is on TV...

...proof that I'm not lying. When Mickey's on, no one else matters!

Baseball with Kirk (love his little smile & backwards hat in this one!)

First baseball game with mommy & daddy

• Eating: what can I say...this boy loves to eat. He is still on 6oz of formula every 3-4 hours and he will make sure we know when it's time if he doesn't already have a bottle shoved into his mouth. He is also eating pureed fruit in the morning and veggies/meal concoctions in the afternoon and again in the evening. He is a hearty eater, too. Little man also showed his sweet tooth this month when he had ice cream for the first time. He LOVED it (who can blame him). The first was at the College World Series when Nanu shared some of his chocolate/vanilla cone...and then he had a little bit when he was sick to cool down his throat. 

Loves him some ice cream!

• Sleeping: we are blessed to have a great sleeper on our hands. He goes to bed relatively well (only a few nights here and there where he is VERY fussy), usually around 8pm-9pm each night. He is a great napper, his favorite place being in his car seat...gets him every time. The only time he gets up in the middle of the night is when he is sick...and hopefully he will be getting over that junk soon.

• Developments:  After his June cranial scan, we found out that he has had some (albeit small) improvement and his melon is now at 4mm asymmetry (8 1/2mm improvement overall), which means we need to see it get down to 2mm or less and we will graduate from his helmet!  He has started standing on his legs much better (we still have to help him get up there) and hangs onto the couch while standing for many minutes. He really wants to crawl, but cannot figure out how to make it all work. He side crawls and rolls all over the place, though! He weighs about 21lbs 15oz after his most recent trip to the doctor and has to have moved up in all percentiles...he is a BIG boy. Everyone always comment they think he's older than he really is based on his size.  He has started giving high fives and clapping (somewhat inconsistently) and we are really working on waving as well as talking - "da-da" "ball" and "ma-ma" - in that order. :) Right now he's content with squealing and saying "bah." He is sticking EVERYTHING into his mouth and has also started this awesome game of throwing every toy, sippy cup, anything in his hands over the side of the stroller, car seat...you name it...then you give it back and over the side it goes again. :)

Shopping with mama

• Features: I swear it seemed like overnight one night this past month and he became his daddy's mini-me. He looks so much like Nick, it's crazy...and I love it. He's got his daddy's big blue eyes and facial features. His hair has really started growing and now creates these really cute bangs that hang out over the top of his helmet! He's still our rolly polly little man and has the thickest little thighs and small arm rolls. They are so squeezable and cuddly!

Love celebrating every month with you, buddy!! Happy 8 months of life!

That owl didn't stand a chance!