Phoebe at 8 months

My dear chocolate smeared daughter,

Today you are 8 months old. Your daddy decided that since it's Easter, you should have some chocolate and decided to give you a flake to eat. The above is what resulted. Guess who had to clean you up?

You are generally delightful at the moment. At least during daylight hours. At night, you can be unsettled and wake up frequently. You are still sleeping in the Moses basket in our bedroom, at least in theory, although in practice you spend most of the nights and your day time naps in the big bed. When we can convince Daddy you really are too big for the basket, we'll move his computer to the living room and set up your cot. But for now, you're within arm's reach at night.

You're enjoying food. You've got much better at handling it. You can pass pieces from one hand to the other and turn them so they're easier to get into your mouth. I haven't yet found a food you don't like, though if you're tired more goes on the floor than into you. Chicken seems to be a favourite. Tomatoes and strawberries you're possibly allergic to. We'll avoid them for a bit. Of course you still like your milk.

You're fortunately not very mobile yet, although you're getting there. You've been rolling from front to back for ages, but only in the last few days have I seen you roll from back to front and connect up movements to get somewhere. A couple of times I've left you sitting and come back to find you lying on your front, intent on reach some object or other. You fall over sometimes. There was a big bump today as you fall backwards and hit the floor a little too hard. You cried and I scooped you up for a cuddle. The bumps make me sad, but you're learning about gravity and how to overcome it.

You chatter a lot, especially when happy or eating. So many noises! Lots of bah! Bah bah BAH! None is attached to any meaning yet, but you enjoy testing your sounds and babbling away to yourself. Daddy thinks you're noisy, but I like it.

You like watching people. In the sling when we're out, you become Serious Baby and stare intently at strangers on the bus or wherever we happen to be. They try to make you laugh, but you resist. Your giggles are mostly only for Mummy and Daddy.

You and Daddy are a good double act. He plays you the kazoo, then hands it over and you play it too! You try to play other objects too, so maybe you haven't quite got how it works yet, but it's very cute. You laugh when he growls at you and throws you up in the air. Sometimes you watch him as he moves around the room doing things.

Breastfeeding has been much better. It's still a bit sore if I'm not careful, but on the whole, the horrible itching is under control. You tell me when you're hungry by bobbing your head at my breast. More like headbanging than the sweet bobs of a newborn now though. Sometimes you break off in mid feed and bob some more, for the fun of it.

You are fun. We're beginning to see your personality come through. You're wary of strangers, Mummy and Daddy are best of course, but after some staring, if you're in the right mood, you warm up to people. You like looking at other babies. Sometimes you stop what you're doing and listen to the noises the birds make outside our room and on the roof. You are very interested in the world.

Keep learning, little girl! I love you very much.

Your Mummy