Month 8

Dear Desi,

Happy 8 months! While looking forward to this day, it seemed to never come, but now that it's here, it's like I only just finished writing your Month 7 letter. Time seems to pass almost as fast as you grow. Most of me is excited but there's this part of me that's yelling, wait! Don't grow up just yet! Be my baby forever!



Right now I'm resisting the urge to take a nap. I sorely need one because I had very little-- no sleep last night. It seems you always want to have a nipple in your mouth all night as you sleep. Daddy suggested a pacifier. I said, this will pass. Just as soon as those teeth finally come out. Oh Desi, where are your teeth? I've been checking each day for the past month and a half, but still only white bumps on your gums. No teeth yet. My dentist says girls generally grow teeth a bit later than boys. Whatever the reason I really really want you to have teeth already. Because you'll be sooo cute when you smile with teeth but also so you can stop teething and actually sleep at night. So that I can too.



Speaking of sleep, this month was the first time I was away from you overnight. Four nights in fact. Daddy and I went on a trip and you were left in the care of Yaya Fe and Lola Cora. They said that the first night you had a terrible time, crying and crying and crying that Yaya had to take you to Ate's room so that Lola can sleep in Mommy and Daddy's room. The following nights were somewhat easier for them, but still. I'm guessing you weren't really all that more difficult than when you're sleeping with Daddy and me. It's just now they've seen first hand what kind of (non)sleeper you are.



But I think you really missed us because the night we returned, you woke up to greet us at 1AM and when Daddy held you, you clung to him tight and didn't want to let go. When we settled down in bed and I was finally able to nurse you after 4 and a half days of separation, you nursed and nursed and nursed and clung to me all night. You would grab me if I moved away, you had to have your hands around me neck or arm, and through I could feel you check every now and then to see if I'm still there. Oh Desi, in the four nights I was away from you I finally got to sleep through the night. But when I got home, knowing you missed me that much makes me not want to leave you ever again.



In the past month you've been extra super likot it's been really difficult to take pictures of you. Most of them are blurry because you're always moving so fast. Not only that, when you see me whip out a camera, you suddenly get all alert and you focus on the camera and I could almost see a thought bubble above your head saying "Ooh shiny! Must eat!" There isn't anything you don't want to put in your mouth, I have to clean everything over and over again all the time yet you still somehow manage to stuff your mouth with inappropriate things.

You've also gotten this whole climbing thing down pat. You can climb the sides of your playpen, Mommy and Daddy's bed's high backboard, Ate's chair, the couch, anything at all, you can pull yourself up with, no problem. You are so strong and so determined I know that if you keep this up, you will surely do well in life.



One thing I noticed in the last couple of weeks was you would cry when I leave the room. Not every time, but often. Especially if I'm leaving through the front door. And you never really did that before. I don't know if it's just a coincidence between the timing and your development, or if it's a direct result of our having disappeared for longer than you thought was called for. After all, you didn't do anything wrong. Why would Mommy leave you like that? Well, Desi, don't worry, I have no plans of leaving you for that long for a long time yet. I intend to take you with me whenever I can, and we already have a couple of family vacations lined up which we're sure you'll enjoy.



Desi you are such a wonderful, beautiful, sweet and adorable baby. And maybe all mommies feel this way about their babies, but you are my baby and to me you are better than all the babies out there. You make me so happy, no words can describe how proud I am of you.


Love, Mommy