Matteo is 8 Months!

Teo, me say Teeeooo.  Daylight come and me wan go home.

My smirky, babbly, serious yet fun-loving dude. Time is going too fast. He is now way closer to 1 than to zero. I love watching him grow up, but I'm also sad to lose my baby.  I know, he'll be technically a baby for at least another year, but that year will whiz by and I'll have no more babies (unless God really surprises us.)  His two tiny teeth will become a mouth full of chompers. His caterpillar fuzz will flatten out.  I know it just gets better and better, but growing up is bittersweet. Makes me treasure each drooly kiss, each gummy chuckle, each raspberry.

Matteo at a glance:

• His head is ridiculously fuzzy.  Everyone admires his spiky coif!  I love to bury my nose in it.  
• First cousin playdate with several of his out of town "first-cousins-once-removed", Eudora, Ronan, and baby Miles, just 2 weeks younger than him. Such a special time!
• Loves playing in the sandbox and at  the beach.  Doesn't eat too much sand.  
• Sitting up pretty well on his own.  Falls down once in a while.
• Still not crawling!  
• Very musically inclined!  Mesmerized by my sub-par banjo playing.  Loves to drum on pots and pans.  
• Likes to make sounds in general.  Raspberries, fart sounds, babbles, scratching surfaces with his fingernails.  
• Starting to throw any and everything. 
• Two teeth and counting! 
• Still sleeping through the night about 50% of the time.  Waiting patiently for the number to increase :)  
• Used to be a mini-Joe, but I think he's starting to look like me a little bit.  Still doesn't look Korean at all!  He is all Italiano! 
• Loving solids, although still only eating purees.  He is not quite able to chew and swallow yet unless the food is super mushy.  His recent favorite is lamb heart pureed with zucchini, carrots, cinnamon and coconut milk.    
• We've started giving tiny bits of fruit- loves it!  
• I'm nursing him a lot these days- about every 2 to 3 hours during the day, because he's so itty bitty I want to give him lots of the good stuff.  Plus, it's been really hot and dry here in socal.  
• Loves his daddy!  Joe is able to comfort him and put him to sleep just as easily as I can, at least for now.  I'm so grateful for this since I'm leaving for Costa Rica (just me and my friend!) in November and Joe will be watching both kiddos for a week.  I know, crazy! 
• Still adores Sisi unconditionally.  Sisi is coming around more and more.  I love listening to them babble to each other and crack each other up in the back seat of the car.  
• Sadly, had to say goodbye to his beloved Grandpa Sam this month.  I will always cherish the sweet moments and silly smiles they shared.  I know Grandpa delighted in Matteo, and did until his last days.  

miss you already, dear Grandpa.

Eudora (2), Matteo (8 months), Miles (7 months)

MVI 2978 from kristin brancaleone on Vimeo.