8 Months Old

Being 8 months old means many things for little Hy.

It means he gets to be CAPTAIN AMERICA for Halloween! Between Captain Hyrum and Zorro (middle-aged version), we were able to rescue the fair Roman maiden (whose costume isn't portrayed to best light in this picture).











8 months old means that he gets to eat EGGIES! He doesn't care for them yet as much as his parents do. But this is also cool, because it means he is learning to express his preferences. This week he learned how to stick out his hands in a STOP gesture when he's tired of hamburger/rice/green bean mush and wants milk. He even did it for applesauce and his milk tonight when he was all full. Now, if we had handed him some of our ice cream, he might have found a little more room.... "Something new, there's always a bite or two of room."

8 months old does NOT mean that he eats with his hands yet. Mom tried to feed him bread, but he wouldn't touch it until she put it on a spoon. "However, Friday I tried giving him some crushed grapes. (I know, some of you are going to think grape juice. This was grape pulp.) But I also cut up some of the grape and put little pieces on his tray that he kind of pushed around and played with - but for the first time after giving me the sour look like 'I'm not going to eat that, Mom' he opened his mouth and lunged for the piece of grape and my fingers. He missed it of course. But, he did try again and we got it in."

(Here he is doing his best Punky Brewster imitation)

Speaking of Hyrum's pattented lunge, this is how he normally kisses us. Open mouth, attack like a raptor, big slimy, gooey smack. Being 8 months old, however, means he also now uses this to bite his mommy. Saturday I was bit 5 times. "He bit me on purpose. He was hungry and wanted food. I don't think he knew it was going to hurt me." He hasn't tried to bite the daddy on purpose yet. "We are working on our gentle ways of teaching him that that is not appropriate."

In other anti-social behaviors, being 8 months old means he pushed his first child over. We were home teaching, no less, when he inadvertantly knocked Rhoda down. He was surprised that someone else was as fragile on their legs as he is.

Hopefully, being 8 months old will mean that he finally gets over the fever and runny nose he's had the entirety of being 7 months old. "We hear it comes with teething." So there may be more teeth coming to join his four. But since he was sick the same 3 weeks his old man was sick, I'm ready to accuse germs rather than gums.

Also at 8 months, his grip on my hair is getting TIGHT. He could hold on pretty well before, but now he's taking our mission president's advice to heart and yanking for all he's worth. "And the doctor said he's really strong."

Hy is discovering himself ... in the mirror at 8 months. One of his favorite games is to look in the mirror and smile at himself, and then smile at Mommy in the mirror. He will change his angle to see Mommy in the mirror and then make her disappear and reappear. He also really enjoys playing with screwdrivers and other manly tool toys. He has also discovered splashing in the tub.

Being 8 months means we have an adopted older brother in James P. We've been able to hang out this week with our good friend, Jon and Shari, whose nearly two yr. old son James really enjoys it when 'Bebe Hy' comes to visit. He crawls around with him, shows him cool toys, and how to play with the train. Hy's other adopted older brother comes to Friday Forum with his parents and likes to entertain and tickle the baby.

Excitingly, 8 months is when he will get to fly on an airplane for the first time. We're heading off to Utah to spend Thanksgiving with Joy's family (10 days) and mine (4 days). We've been preparing him for this by keeping him awake until 10pm our time so that when we get there, he will go to bed at the same old time (8 pm) and wake up at a decent hour (6-7) instead of when we'd rather everyone else be asleep (4-5am). He's making the transition very well.








Our little angel is growing up.