Dear Livia,
You turned eight months old just a few days ago. You have done a lot in 8 months. You’ve been standing and cruising for quite a while. This is amazing to us, given that the baby books say you should only have recently learned how to crawl. A few days ago, you started standing without holding on to anything. You must be very close to walking, and I have my camera at the ready.
You’ve started babbling. You say “mamamamama” when you’re upset and “dadadadada” when you’re happy. Marshall used to do the same thing. We wonder if it’s instinctual to call on your mommy when you need something and to try to get your daddy’s attention when you’re at your most adorable. In any event, you say “dadadada” so sweetly that I forgive you for saying it so much more often than “mamamama”
You’ve made yourself an integral part of our life. As engaged as we are with Marshall, it would be easy to overlook you from time to time, but you have an intense quality that makes it impossible to ignore you. It’s not because you scream and cry (though you do sometimes, naturally). It’s because you’re eager to join in the activities going on around you. You try to make eye contact with other people, and when you succeed you positively beam back at them. You love to play, and you have the cutest little laugh. You’ve only been with us for eight months, but already you’re unforgettable.
Love,
Mom