Joey: 8 Months

We moved Joey out of our room as soon as we got home from Massachusetts a little over a week ago. For the first few nights he slept like usual -- dream feed at 10, nurse again around 4, and up for the day a couple hours later. I relished not having to tiptoe around our room in the dark and the luxury of reading a book before going to sleep. He had not been a good roommate! But then he went through a regression, which I've read is common at this stage, even without throwing in travel and changes in sleeping arrangements. I've gotten him back on track now, using the Sleep Lady's techniques as I did with the girls. Last night he slept from 8 until 5:30 this morning. Nice! There will probably be some more ups and downs, but I am doggedly determined when it comes to getting older babies to sleep through the night. What a difference a good night of sleep makes for us all. Worth fighting for, and definitely worth losing sleep over (ironically) in the short term.

Now that school's started I've gotten him on a good schedule during the day. He is up at 6 like the rest of us, then down for his morning nap soon after the other kids leave for school. Then he's up in time for us to take part in Stroller Warriors or a playgroup, or whatever else we have planned. He has a second nap after lunch, and then sometimes a third nap. But he's been fighting that one so I don't know for how much longer. Those first two naps are the important thing. And now I never want to be out and about when he's supposed to be napping. I love having him on a schedule and I don't want to do anything to mess it up. Unfortunately, life interferes sometimes.

He's still not interested in solid food, and that's been typical of my babies up to about a year. He eats a few Cheerios while sitting at the table with us, but drops most of them on the floor. He nurses quite a bit. One new development is that he can drink out of a sippy, usually with help and rather messily by himself. It is so nice now to have an alternate way of feeding him. It came in handy on the long drive back here when he was too distracted to nurse during our stops; and I pumped and gave him the milk in a cup to drink while we were on the road.

He learned to clap his hands while we were in Massachusetts, and started to wave too. Sometimes he pats his cheek too, but we don't know why. He has playful and silly moods that we really enjoy. It's hard not to smother him with love. He laid his head on Timmy's lap today when we were sitting on the floor, and he's been known to give open mouth kisses once in awhile. It is so wonderful when the baby we've been loving on for month after month starts to love on us too.

He is obsessed with doors -- opening and closing them, going through them and turning around and coming back through the other way, stopping at the threshold so he's half in and half out.. Endless fascination. He will pause a nursing session just to go play with the door. It's maddening at times, especially if I know he's hungry.

We all dote on him like crazy. The kids miss him so much while they're at school, and they can't wait to get their hands on him when they get home, particularly Annie who's the little mama. I love the way his eyes light up when he sees them. I'm so grateful for this baby boy who brings us so much joy.