Ralphie is 8 months old!

Dear Ralphie,

What a joy you are to your Daddy and me. Even on bad days, and yes, you have bad days, we still find our hearts overflowing with love for you.

You have grown so much this past month. You are around nineteen pounds and filling out your 6-9 months clothing very well. We love your chunky lil thighs, and squishy belly. They are both so ticklish. You are so very tall, like your daddy.

You are full of grins and giggles. You love to play and be played with. You can sit alone, but are still a bit wobbly. I have put you in the shopping cart twice when we've gone out, and you just love it. I think it makes you feel even more grown up than you look - and you look so grown up sitting there tall and proud, looking around at everything and smiling at everyone. It melts my heart to see you growing and your personality developing.

People are saying you look more like your mama these days. And boy are you a mama's boy. You are happy with other people, most of the time; but if you hear my voice, or see me walk by, your arms go out and you look at me with those big blue eyes, like "Please, Mama. Hold me some more." You silly boy, I cannot hold you all the day long!

You are stubborn. You get that in double doses from both your parents. But you are affectionate and sweet more often. You give hugs, and big, open mouth kisses. You love to be held and snuggled. 

You are officially army crawling all over the house - and today you crawled through the family room, into the kitchen and decided to try some dog food. That made Mama pretty sick. Daddy was just laughing. You just started pulling your knees up under you, too. I think that you will figure out the crawling soon enough.

Your two little teeth are so cute. You use them for all they're worth. You like to gnaw on carrot sticks and apple slices. Eating solid food has been going well. You don't really like anything green, so I'm trying to sneak spinach into your squash and sweet potatoes. Of course, any fruit you try, you love. Carrots  and bananas are definitely your favorite though. You ate half a banana AND oatmeal for breakfast Monday morning. Piggy-wiggy.

finished!

You're growing, changing, learning. We love every minute of it. Every night I thank God for your life, and pray he would watch over you all of your days. And every night I pray He would watch over your soul, and draw it to Himself, because there is no life without Him.

My little boy, you are loved more than last month, and more than you will ever know.