8 Month Photo Session

8 months old

Maddox has been kind of crawling. He gets around very easily but is not yet officially crawling. He uses his arms a lot and likes to stand more than anything. He is trying to pull himself up onto furniture and likes to get up on all fours but instead of his knees he gets up on his feet. It's really funny because I can tell he really wants to walk. Last week, Maddox had a really rough day and I could tell he was in pain. I took him to the doctor the next day and the poor thing had two ear infections and a ruptured ear drum. I felt so bad for him. He is doing much better. The medicine that he has to take is a stronger antibiotic than the last one and apparently, it does not have a very good taste. The first couple times, he gagged himself and threw it all up so now I have to wrestle him to hold him down, plug his nose and blow in his face until he swallows. It is quite the ordeal. He doesn't cry but he will try to wiggle away from me and refuse to open his mouth and then spit it out back into my face. Anyway, Maddox is eating better and loves table food. He likes string cheese and chicken and pretty much anything I'm eating. Maddox has also become a very affectionate and snuggly little guy. He loves giving hugs especially when he is tired. Allan and I went through the temple with Camilla several weeks ago and Aaron watched Maddy outside. He hadn't taken a nap and was super tired and when we came out of the temple, he snuggled Camilla and laid his head on her shoulder. It was so cute! Then he did the same thing to the RS president a couple Sundays ago when I had to say the closing prayer. He loves girls with dark hair! Maddox has also been sleeping with us still. He is so fun to snuggle and I finally got Allan to admit that he likes sleeping next to Maddy so at least we are all on the same page. He is doing better at not eating so much in the night and I think within a couple months he will hopefully be sleeping through the night. I know that Maddox just has a strong need to be touched and feel someone close to him and that's why he loves sleeping with us. Maddox and I have been swimming a lot because it is getting really hot. He loves the water! He plays in his little floaty or on the top step and plays and plays until he is too tired to play anymore. He loves playing with his blocks and his piano and his books but most of all he loves playing with anything that he is not supposed to play with. He has incredibly fast hands and grabs everything he can. He is also developing a temper and when I take something away from him he gets mad and does his angry cry. Maddox is pretty tough though. As he has become more mobile he has bumped his head a couple times. He usually just stops and turns around to look at me and gives me a sad face and then I tell him he's ok and he just goes right back to playing. Sometimes, I will give him a hug though. Maddox is getting so big and has been outgrowing a lot of him clothes. He is wearing all 12 month and 18 month clothes now. Well, of course I could go on and on about how much I love Maddox but I think it's clear... he is my everything. I am still obsessed with him and love him more and more every day. I love him more than I thought was possible. He is such an angel!

Stranger Danger & Separation Anxiety

Maddox has been doing really well. He is off of his antibiotic for his ear infection and has now moved on to teething including drooling and a runny nose. I think his top two teeth are coming in. He isn't quite crawling yet or at least not in the right direction. He gets up on all fours and then crawls backwards which of course frustrates him since he is moving in the opposite direction. It's actually really cute watching him make his way around the room going backwards. I'm sure eventually he will get the hang of it and like his doctor said, "bigger babies crawl a little later." He also has developed into quite a picky eater. He will only eat fruit and sweet foods. He hates vegetables and meats and refuses to eat them. I have even tried sweet potatoes, I've tried mixing vegetables with fruit but he can tell. He must have a very sensitive pallet. If a non-sweet food goes into his mouth, he makes a really funny face and shakes his head. Then he gags himself until he has completely spit out the food. He's very dramatic about it. So, I will keep trying to introduce new foods until he gets used to the texture and taste. I really don't want him to be picky. Maddox has been doing a little better at night. He still likes to nurse a lot at night but I don't mind. He is such a sweetheart. Maddy has recently become scared of strangers. An elderly female Walmart employee decided to get all up in his face while we were grocery shopping and Maddy did not like it. He started crying and I could tell he was nervous and scared. And the same thing happened when we went to dinner at the Spencers', a couple from our ward. Sister Spencer made him a little nervous and he started crying. I know it's normal so I just make sure that he sees me and I hold him when there are strangers around. Maddy also has become very aware of whether or not I am in the room. On some days, he gets very attached to me and just wants me to hold him. If I walk away, he cries and gets his feelings hurt. After a full day of this, it gets very frustrating but I just remind myself that he is an innocent little baby and needs extra security. Afterall, I have spent almost every second with him since he was born. I love how close I feel to him and I love that I get to be with him all day. I feel so blessed that I have such a great husband that works so hard so that I can be a stay-at-home mom. I love my family!