Vivian - 8 Months +1.5 Weeks

Look out world; we have an 8 month old on our hands!!!! We have been super busy since I last posted. Vivian got baptized, we celebrated Mother’s Day, on Saturday’s we go to swimming lessons, we have also been on a bike ride or two, and she is learning new skills!

It is quite the ride watching a baby grow up, isn’t it? They go from sleeping all the time to these active little people!!! Ben and I were talking about this on a Saturday (in the Menards parking lot of all places).  We got on the topic of how easy it was to take Vivi places when she was an itty bitty (newborn), she mostly slept the whole time. And I remember not wanting to go anywhere because she was sleeping, but what I didn’t realize was that that was the BEST time to go; because she would have slept through it all if I timed it right. Now when we go out to eat she is all over! She wants to play with EVERYTHING (napkins, forks, cups, straws… you name it she wants it!).  I try to bring a whole variety of toys to keep her occupied but it’s a no go. She wants what we have… Even when we go to Target… She wants EVERYTHING!

BAPTISM
On Saturday, May 2^nd, 2015 Vivian was baptized. The day was super, super busy. My parents came for the weekend to help set up (thank God). We did most of the prep work for the party the night before, which was a good call. Sunday morning my mom and I pulled everything together.
Vivian was very good during the Mass. But, the little stinker refused to nap so by the time the baptism started she was getting pretty cranky. But we made it without any sort of meltdown (YES!!!). Then we partied, complete with burgers and brats on the grill and an ice cream cake.
Thanks again to everyone that came! Thank yous will be coming shortly… (I hope…)

**MOTHER’S DAY
**We celebrated my 1^st Mother’s Day this year!!! We ended up driving to the U.P to see my mom and my grandma for the weekend. Vivian got me the really cute frame and photos. And her and Ben got me a gorgeous ring with Vivian’s September birthstones in it!!! It was a little weird being wished a Happy Mother’s Day, but it was really nice!!!

MILESTONES
The baby babble continues. When I am in the other room I can hear her “talking”.
She is WAVING!!!! Oh my goodness it is so sweet. We will be leaving daycare and we will say “bye bye” and she will wave bye to the ladies at daycare!
She has also started to clap. It doesn’t happen to often but I’ve see it!
She has begun scooting… backwards, but it is scooting nonetheless.
She also likes to stand up with our help.
She is starting to blow bubbles and spit….

**SWIMMING LESSONS
**Swimming lessons have ended. Vivian did so well. I mean she got to spend an hour in the pool, and splash. Not sure if she “learned” how to swim though! What we did do though was teach the babies to reach for the wall, kick, splash, blow bubbles, and “jump” up, and use the railing to get into the pool. Basically it was Ben and I that did these things and she just watched. We will be doing it again the next time classes are available.

**DAYCARE
**Daycare has been going so well. We are so happy with our choice. Her teachers are wonderful and you can see that they enjoy all of the kids.  Right now Vivian is in the Infant 1 class. They get to play all day long. Today because it was so nice they went for a walk on the River Walk. Pretty soon she will be moving up to the Infant 2 class (there are 2 babies in front of her).

THE WONDER WEEKS
So after I went back to work a friend introduced me to the Wonder Weeks App. The basis of the app is to help you understand when your baby is going through a “developmental leap.”  There are a total of 10 leaps that babies go through.
Right now she is in the Categories Leap. She is beginning to investigate the world around her and categorize things. Once the leap is over some skills she might have gained are:

• Showing that she knows some words
• Makes it clear that she finds something dirty (maybe by sniffing)
• Imitates adults
• Recognizes herself in a mirror
• Can exaggerate her moods
• Play peek-a-boo by herself
• Challenges others to play a game
• Calls for a song, for example, by clapping her hands.
• Begins to practice crawling

This app has been a lifesaver. Once I see that she is getting more cranky than normal I automatically check the app to see if a Leap is near!

That about wraps it up! Enjoy some photos!