Eight months - time to reflect

Easter


Hangin' with Nonno.


Fine, one more!!


My alter ego, Chiara Deveraux. At rehab.

So, here I am. Eight months already. I have my check-up next week, so unfortunately I don't have my official stats yet, but I am long and Mama is sure I weigh at least 25 pounds!! I am FINALLY crawling - it's an army crawl, but boy, between that and rolling, I get around quickly!!

AND my top right tooth is popping out! It was a long and terrible time with this one, but I'm doing a lot better now that I'm cutting that tooth. And it appears that its next-door neighbor is not far behind. I'm eating more solids each week, and I've experimented with lots of finger foods, too - chicken, avocado, teething biscuits, and puffs. I LOVE puffs.

Mama had a great time talking to her friends at Papa's rugby game last weekend: one who is ready to have her baby boy any day now, and one who has a daughter about my age. These meetings brought on some very interesting feelings in Mama's head: the nostalgia for pregnancy, that happy stretched belly that first occasionally and finally often moved and kicked, before my arrival; and enthusiasm about getting into a routine that makes time for both mom and daughter, including exercise!! The gym is a place that does not get used very often lately, and this has to change. Maybe it will be swimming with me at the pool, or leaving me at daycare a little bit longer, but Mama started exercising a bit before school in the morning, and gee, she is more energetic all day now!! Time to get back in that groove!!

Mama is also really excited to get back into photography. It's been hard, trying to work, care for me, and use that camera! But with a new lens and some steady, consistent photo sessions with me of course, she is starting to fall in love with her DSLR all over again!!

--Stella