8 Months

I think if I looked hard enough behind the slats on Eloise's crib, somewhere etched in baby scritch-scratch on the wall, I would find a list of activities this small child has mapped out for herself and one by one marked off over this past month.  

The list would look like this: 

Sit up. 

learn to crawl.

eat an entire banana in one sitting.

grow two front teeth. 

tackle cat. 

attack curtains

pull up on coffee table

etc.... 

 

Because it feels like the past few weeks have been time lapsed-- every day she gets out of bed ready to take on the world a little more with fierce determination.  

Earlier this month she learned to maneuver herself from back to front to sitting up-- often times she'll wake herself up, her little body has propped itself upright in the middle of the night, and she's sitting there holding a bunny, half asleep, wondering what happened.  But we come in, and she's laughing, pleased as pie, as only Eloise can be.  

Thanksgiving came, and she took it upon herself to learn how to crawl.  

First slowly, now full speed-- like a field mouse.  

She's made her way to all things not baby proof-- we have crates and boxes set up as blockades to contain this little whirligig, and our drapes are tied up in knots because she's learned how to pull up and swing a bit on them.  

Oh dear, Eloise.  You make your mother worry.  

Violet has a nativity scene set up, and this morning I came in the living room only to find Eloise sucking on one of the kings.  She had pulled herself up to the coffee table and grabbed the poor fellow; he never knew what hit him.  

8 months, and every day is an adventure with this little joyous creature.  Sleep is still on and off; there's too much happening to ever settle into a schedule with this one.  

One thing is for certain-- this Christmas will be extra Merry and Bright, because our Eloise is here in all of her exuberance.