Dear Charlotte,
In one of my baby/parenting books it says “7 and 8 month old babies are busy babies.”  No kidding.  You haven’t…stopped…moving.  If we look away for a second you are clear across the room.  Within a week this past month you started crawling…fast, and you started pulling up on everything you can reach.  We dropped your crib down.

We try to get you dressed and you wiggle right out of all your clothes before we can get them on you.  You like to “climb us” by walking all over our bellies and chests when we’re sitting.  Your Grandma said to me, “Amy, I’m surprised she’s like this.  You used to just sit there and play with your toys.”  When we describe your activity to Papa and DeeDee however, they laughed.  They laughed, remembering how active Daddy was as a baby.  I think you have quite the streak of his personality in you.  But, you still love admiring your reflection in a mirror, which is all me.

There’s a corny old joke you’ll hear people tell that parents must be putting Miracle Gro on a child.  They’ll say things like “What are you feeding that child?!”  I have heard this several times this month.  (I promise I’ll refrain from that joke as you grow up.)  I even broke out a few smaller 9 month size outfits for you to wear.  6 month and 6-9 month sizes still fit best, though.

You seem to have to be playing with something all the time, preferably a non-toy that you have to put in your mouth.

Yesterday you signed!  After weeks of your Daddy and I looking ridiculous as we signed everything to you, you signed for milk!  I squealed and jumped up and down when you did it.  You were so good signing for what you wanted instead of crying and in my excitement I didn’t feed you fast enough, so you cried.  Ha!  We’re still learning.

You have made our lives fuller than we could possibly ever imagine.  I love you , my darling, darling girl.

Love,
Mama