8 months

I can’t believe Squiggles is already 8 months old.  She is such a happy baby – she is always babbling, giggling, and smiling – especially if she has an audience.  She is curious about everything, and wants to hold everything in sight.  She puts everything in her mouth, and often gives us a surprised sour face when objects don’t taste very good.  She recently sprouted tooth number 3:

And can finally touch her toes!  She was so rigid for the first several months.

She just keeps getting cuter,

And happier:

She has recently begun sticking her tongue out at everybody she sees – especially when she’s happy.

In October, we took Squiggles on her first leaf-peeping outing in the Berkshires.  The first day, we went to Old Orchard Farms, where we drank fresh hot apple cider and strolled through the apple orchards.

She also takes after her mother in that she sticks out her tongue when she’s concentrating on something… like getting to that delicious-looking apple!

Squiggles has no idea what apples actually are, but the second she saw them on those trees, she was determined to own one.

She had a great time at our hotel.  She kept pulling off her socks and trying to eat them,

And had a great time playing with Daddy.  She gives really good kisses (meaning, she puts her face, nose, open mouth, etc.) next to our cheeks and then smiles as though she is the most generous baby in all of history.

The second day, we went to October Mountain.  Squiggles loved looking at the rocks and trees.

She always enjoys going for walks outside…

She enjoyed rock hunting with Daddy, but seemed quite disappointed that she couldn’t eat them.

We did a lot of things with friends this month.  Squiggles loves being around other people, and they love being around her!

We had dinner with Erin and Julie:

We hiked around Walden Pond with Kendall (during which she jabbered the entire time and smiled at every body who walked by),

We hung out with Joanne and Joe one night.  At around 8:00, I tried to put her to bed, but she could hear Joanne and Joe out the door laughing, and wanted to be part of the fun.  She kept diving for the door, so finally I gave in and let her stay up with her friends.

We went on a picnic to Walden Pond with Julie and Alejandro.  We walked around the pond, and once again Baby Girl tried to get the attention of every passerby and generally exuded joy and love and transcendentalism.

This baby loves being outside!

We were mother-daughter witches for Halloween.  Squiggles tried really hard to eat the sparkles off her dress.  Cutest witch ever!

7 months

Big news! Squiggles has started giving kisses!

More big news! We moved into a place where Squiggles could have her very own room big enough for a crib. I thought it would take months to get her used to sleeping all alone (instead of in a bassinet beside our bed), but she fell fast asleep the first time we put her in the crib. Sniff.

Big news #2: Squiggles sprouted two teeth early this month! She occasionally looks at me sweetly, smiles, and then proceeds to bite my nose, but otherwise we've had very little trouble with biting.

When I was pregnant with the baby, Tim found a rabbit hat (with matching gloves) in the LL Bean catalog and ordered them right away because he thought they were "kind of adorable." She's finally big enough to wear them... and they're kind of adorable.

Hanging out on the floor... can't crawl yet, but she is rolling more and more.

She enjoys watching the chickens on Baby Bach, but she's not very interested in the rest of it.

This month it was Old Nana's 93rd birthday. She loves the baby and smiles at her (sometimes for hours) every time we come visit.

Amelia loved the balloons!

This isn't a great pictures (blurry), but I thought it was cute.

Hanging out with Nana and Aunt Nancy. The baby smiles at Nancy whenever she talks

I helped my friend Julie hem a bridesmaid dress - the baby really liked playing with the thread.

Daddy-daughter time.

6 months

Squiggles and I go for a walk around our neighborhood every morning when she wakes up at about 6:00. By the time we get back an hour later, she's ready for her early-morning nap.

Sometimes she is ready to go for another walk as soon as she wakes up - she LOVES to be outside, and is particularly fascinated by tall trees and street signs.

Tim is the only one who can get her to go to sleep while rocking.

D'oh! I don't think this is "recommended."

We took the baby girl to church. She loved singing hymns and seeing a whole, huge room full of people.

Tim gives Squiggles her every-other-day bath - I find her to be too slippery when wet.

She moderately enjoys bathing, but hasn't figured out that splashing is super fun.

Cute new outfit from Aunt Jen:

And super-cute pajamas from Aunt Sheryl.

The other day we were at a restaurant, the baby was babbling. Tim sighed, turned to me, and said (almost inaudibly), "I am completely enamored with that baby girl." I have to agree with him there.