7 1/2 Months

I should probably just wait a few more days and do Carter's 8 month update but I figured I should go ahead and update while I have the time. Carter will be 8 months on January 11th. He's actually changed quite a bit since my last post. He weighed in at 18 lbs. 2 oz. and was 27 1/2 in. long at his 7 month check up on Decemeber 12th. He ended up with another ear infection the week before Christmas too.

Carter has said, "Mmmmm, ma" almost from the beginning. He also started babbling, "Da da da" about a month ago. Just in the past couple of weeks we think he really means what he's saying. He tends to say, "Ma" when he's tired and "Da da da" when he's happy. Go figure! We also realized that he knows his name because he would turn and look at you when we said his name to take pictures during Christmas.

Carter has taken to eating baby food like a crazy man. Dave says he's going to eat us out of house and home. He's been eating 3 times a day for 2 - 3 weeks now. He's down to only about 3 bottles a day and sometimes has some sips with his food as an appetizer or to wash everything down. He's eating fruit, veggies and dinners with turkey, chicken and ham. He likes peaches and bananas but seems to really love pears. It has taken a little persuading with some of the meat meals but we seem to be getting along okay. It took some persuading in the beginning with veggies too. Texture seems to still be an issue so we're sticking with the #2 baby foods for now. I've been able to get him to eat milled bananas and regular, natural applesauce but that's all I've tried so far. I just bought some butternut squash, carrots and pears to try with him soon. He has had some of the veggie / fruit puffs but doesn't quite know how to get them to his mouth. So I just got him some of the bigger Wagon Wheels and those are much easier for him to manipulate. He also loves teething biscuits and boy does it show after he's eaten them!

Carter is really getting around these days. He gets up on his hands and knees and rocks back and forth. He's taken a few "crawls" forward but then quickly resorts to his belly / army crawl because he can move faster that way. He's actually getting more and more distance too. Just a couple of weeks ago he didn't get much farther than 2-3 feet. Now he's able to make it as far as he wants before I have to get him out of trouble. He loves to stand and is trying to pull up on things but just can't quite do it. He is able to pull up to his knees in his crib and on other lower, stationary things. He is a very curious guy and enjoys discovering the things around him.

Carter cut his first tooth last Sun., Dec. 30th, thank goodness! It's been a long time in coming! It's his lower left tooth. His lower right is right there under the gum. I'm sure it will pop through anytime now.

Carter is a smiley little guy when he's happy. He does frustrate easily and will push our hands out the way if he doesn't like or want something. So that little German temper is in there. He does tend to get crabby pretty easily but I think it may be due to just wanting to be big and get down and go.

Carter had a big first Christmas! He enjoyed playing with his big sis, spending time with his nana and papas and meeting his Uncle Tyler for the first time.

Here he is with the big man himself. He's soooo enthused!

"Hey Mommy, look what I can do!"

Carter unwrapping one of his many presents. He loved the ribbons and bows!

Here's Carter on his John Deere ATV that Papa Eric gave him. He was so cute and looked so proud that he was big enough to ride on it (with help from Dad of course).