8 Months Old

8 months old and as cute as ever:









It seems like this has been a big month of growth for Russell in all ways - but I guess, what month isn't with a baby?

Russell:
~Loves to imitate: blowing raspberries, smiling, laughing or crying because you do.
~Separation anxiety has hit hard - he cries and reaches for me as soon as I hand him to someone else, unless he has at least 10 minutes to sit with me beside them to warm up to them.
~Along the same lines, he hates having a bunch of people's attention on him.
~Seems to be so close to crawling - he's doing everything but! Everyone says it will just click one day.
~Loves when you hide from him and then pop up (peek-a-boo style); he thinks it's hilarious.
~Waves! so cute. I don't know if he knows that waving means hello/goodbye, but maybe he does.
~Says "mmmmm" and "num num num" when he eats.
~Is trying finger foods like little pieces of bread, peas without skins, and bananas - he can gum them when you put them in his mouth but hasn't figured out how to get them in there himself.
~Also trying spices on his food - we have done cinnamon, paprika, and garlic so far.
~Still no teeth, but he is teething like crazy - drooly, fussy, waking up in the middle of the night crying, puffy/white gums, etc.
~Down to 2 naps per day. He just started refusing to take his 4:30 nap, so now he naps at 8 am and 1 pm, for 1-2 hours each time.

He is quite the character! You just can't help but love him!