Austin is 8 months!

Austin turned 8 months on March 11! Time flies when you're having fun! He is such a good boy and is growing so fast! I know all Moms say that, but it is so true! Everyone we meet comments on what a big boy he is. What can I say, he likes to eat. I'm not worried though. It will all come off once he starts moving more. Ok, so here is the full report of what he's currently up to.....

Austin smiles all the time and is such a happy little guy. He is very ticklish on his toes, under his arms, and around his middle. I love to hear his laugh! He is still dealing with his little cyst on his eyebrow. That is another thing people always comment on. It gets pretty old explaining that "no, he didn't bump his head, he has a hemangioma...also known as a strawberry". We are getting it checked out by a pediatric plastic surgeon this Wednesday....just to make sure. Everything I've read says that this type of cyst goes away, but it continues to grow, so we certainly don't want it to impede his vision.

Other than that, Austin cut his first tooth the week of Valentine's Day. Actually, the night we dropped him off at Mom and Dad's for our ski trip, he was running a fever. (February 20) I was really worried, but then I felt his little gums and sure enough!....there was a little tooth coming through. His first tooth was the bottom right tooth in the front. He had a fever that night and he wasn't too happy according to Mom, but he made it through with a little Ambesol and Hyland's teething tablets. Whew! I'm just glad he wasn't sick as we were going out of town.

Another milestone was just this past week! He is now able to hold his bottle on his own. Of course, we have to lean him back and line everything up just right, but he gets the job done! It's pretty amazing when they start to figure all of this stuff out. He is also just beginning to discover how to pick up things and put them in his mouth. We've been working on cheerios and the little star things Gerber makes, but up until today, he just let them sort of slide out of his mouth. He was picking them up and feeding himself today! Ok, so it was a little messy, but a few of them made it into his little tummy.

Austin still takes two naps a day and he is sleeping from about 8:00 p.m. to around 8:30 a.m.. We are so thankful that he is a good sleeper.

Austin was last weighed at his 6 month appointment, so I'm not too sure how much he weighs, but my guess is around 21-22 pounds. He is about 28 1/2 to 29 inches long. At his 6 month appointment, he was 90% for height, so he might be a tall boy. We are just fine with that!

Austin sits up all on his own now, but he still isn't crawling. (this might be due to his size!) Once again, I'm not too concerned as I know things get pretty interesting once they are mobile. He is now sleeping on his tummy every night as he is very proficient at rolling over. We'll just have to wait and see about the crawling skills.

Finally, Austin is grabbing at everything now. Glasses on the table, toys, Bailey (our dog), and pretty much anything he has in his sights are fair game. I think he will be a pretty active little man. We look forward to all that lies ahead!

And I almost forgot! Austin loves to splash around in his bath and he is talking much more these days. He started saying "ba ba and da da" around the same time he cut his first tooth. So exciting! He also pays much closer attention to his toys lately and loves to bounce in his Johnny Jump Up and his bouncy exersaucer.

I can't believe he is nearly a year old! We are so blessed and parenthood gets better and better each day. We are so thankful for Austin and while each and every baby is a miracle, I marvel at God's handiwork each day as I gaze into my sweet son's face. I hope those of you who read my blog realize what a gift each and every child is in our lives. They are miracles from heaven. I know that no child is perfect, but they are perfect in God's eyes and they are the perfect gift for the time they arrive and the family they belong to. I thank God for the miracle of life as demonstrated through the testimony of Austin's birth.

Thank you Jesus for my son Austin. He is perfect for me, perfect for my family, and I am ever grateful for your presence in his life and in mine. Thank you for showing me your love through his birth...for showing me that you were there all along, and that your plan was and is perfect.

Delight yourself in the Lord and He will give you the desires of your heart. Psalm 37:4