8 Months Old!

It is hard to believe that the little guy is now 8 months old...where did the time go?  As difficult as the baby stage can be, it is going by too fast this time and I am kind of sad about it. Although really Ryan has been pretty easy. 

Look at that sweet face (btw, he LOVES the cat, just like Ava - they are both glad it is cold and Zaphod has to be inside)

A little update on the little man: Ryan is still crawling and dragging his legs - he gets up on his knees all the time, I think he is just faster not trying to crawl the normal way so he doesn't really try too much.  He can now go from lying on his stomach to a semi sitting position.  And just the other day he started pulling up on stuff...I think he learned it from his cousin Guthrie who is 3 months older.  Seriously we were over there on Saturday and then Sunday, Ryan pulled up on Ava's mini armchair and then did it again on his red barn.  Of course, when he pulled up the barn, he ended up falling face first on the floor after a minute or so...needless to say, it was not a fun moment.

Ryan is also about to get some teeth.  The 2 middle bottom and the 2 middle top are bulging out his gums and he is not sleeping very well (at least last night) so hoping they are going to pop out soon.  We'll see.  I'm personally hoping he'll be like Ava and just get one tooth after another and be done (except for the molars) by the time he is 1. Wishful thinking!

Here's Ry & Guthrie on Saturday playing near one another.  I'm still so happy that they are close in age...will be nice for them to have a buddy in the sea of girls that is my family.

I'm really excited about the next photo..not because it is so great but because I finally got Griffin to sit still and smile for a photo.  That girl is always on the go and rarely lets anyone take a pic of her.  I asked her if she would do her cousin Ava a favor and pose for a photo with her (because I know Ava would love it) and surprisingly, Griffin sat there while I took a ton of photos. This is the best of the 2 of them.

And I think Griff looks a lot like Lexie in it (think it's the smile).  Of course Ava had to ham it up.

Speaking of Ava, she is all about dressing herself these days.  I mean she has been for the last year, but we finally just gave her free reign with her clothes and let her pick stuff out, regardless of whether it matches.  I think it is probably good to let her express herself some way and not battle about every little thing.

So lately, she picks out hats and other accessories to complement her outfits.  And the most recent find of hers are her fingerless biking gloves.  She loves to wear them.  Quite hilarious to see what she will wear every day.