Loving Life at Eight Months Old

Our little girl is eight months old tomorrow. Where has the time gone? She is no longer a newborn making little lamb noises, flopping around and not realizing she has hands. She is a healthy, hearty infant who cracks up at Mom and Dad's jokes, bounces on her strong legs when she's happy, eats from a spoon, crawls backwards, grabs toys quick as a whip, and wakes up talking Senna-speak in the mornings. What an amazing journey in just eight months, and what we have to look forward to. How fortunate we are.

So, for her eight-month birthday, here is a quick late-night survey of Senna's everyday Loves/Hates:

Loves:
- Bird-watching at the beach
- Having her tummy tickled
- Looking at family photos several times a day (smiling broadly)
- Reading books, particularly "Hand, Hand, Fingers, Thumb" and "The Going to Bed Book"
- Mommy singing to her in the mirror
- Daddy making crazy faces and sounds
- Bathtime (with her squeaky giraffe and cup-turned-drum)
- Playing on the nursery floor
- Buttons, bows, tags, and especially the drawstrings on Mom's pants
- Overturning the laundry basket
- Drinking water from a little striped juice glass
- Being outside
- Any other kid (she lights up and opens her arms to other babies)
- Being held, awake or asleep

Hates:
- Avocados (see previous post)
- Long car rides (i.e., longer than 5 minutes usually)
- Bathtime being over
- Naptime, unless she is really tired
- The snot snatcher, tissues, or Mom coming at her nose
- Teething pain (two broken through so far!)
- Being put down while sleeping, unless she is in deep slumber

Yes, she loves much more than she hates, and we love that about her. The moms in our playgroup call her the "love child" because she is so love-y with everyone (and we like to dress her in 70's-inspired peace & love clothing!). She really is a cuddle, I say, an affectionate soul. Have I mentioned how fortunate we are? And very grateful on this eve of her eight-month birthday...