8 Months

Dear Isabelle,
My sweet little baby, today you are eight months old. This month has really flown by, I feel like I just barely wrote your seven month letter. The last few weeks have been really busy and you have had lots of firsts! First plane ride, first vacation, first swim, first taste of chicken, and you loved all of it. This is your nature- constantly moving and learning and changing, you are happiest when we are on the go. You have always loved your bath time, but now we know you are definitely a water baby. We spent a big chunk of our time in Maui with you just floating in the water with a big sunhat.

I think you weigh about 15 pounds, last time we checked, and you have gotten pretty tall. (It’s probably all the carrots.) Your favorite foods are mangos, carrots, beans, and chicken. You are sitting unassisted more and more, but really you just want to stand up and walk. Your favorite toys are basically anything you can chew and drool on. Speaking of drool, you now have two tiny teeth on the bottom. Now when you smile, I can see those pearly little nubbins and it’s like kill me in the face, so cute. You smile more than ever and laugh at moving objects- bouncing balls, stuff falling on the floor, me making weird noises- it’s all highly entertaining.

We have been spending a lot of time with your cute cousin Madilyn, who is just barely two. She is the sweetest, most unselfish toddler and if she had her way she would share her goldfish and juice with you, she loves you so much. She kisses your face or your arm and squeals in delight when your flailing hand grabs her little body. She makes sure you have ALL of your toys surrounding you and often insists you want your paci. She calls you “Belle”, but as of late has moved on to “Izzie-belle.” I can’t wait to see how you two will become the best of friends.

This month more than ever I see you as a baby and not an infant. I held a newborn yesterday and my mind was totally blown thinking about you that small, smelling your skin and feeling your soft wrinkled neck on my cheek. Wasn’t that just the other day? I do love this stage you are in- this exploring, growing, learning, smiling stage where you are so fascinated by the world around you.

Sometimes I check on you when you are sleeping and you are so serene and so beautiful, your hands curled up by your porcelain face. I marvel that our Heavenly Father entrusted us with your precious little life, we are so honored and so privileged to be your parents. My mom used to say “If you only knew how much I love you…” and now I know what she meant. You could never know how much I love you, how grateful I am for you, how your fill my life with meaning and happiness.

Love, love, love you.

xoxox

Momma