Our Crazy Life: The 8th Month

My beautiful, smart, active, serious baby boy is 8 months old!
He still isn't crawling in the traditional sense but can go backwards like nobody's business. He is happier pulling himself up and walking along whatever he is near. Crazy baby, when are you going to act your age? He claps now, which is adorable and squeals showing happiness and pleasure.
He says Mama and Dada and knows what they mean. He also signs (ASL) for milk. He has started to waive, but it is still random.
Zacharey enjoys eggs, pear and strawberries. He also likes lentils and beans. Bananas end up thrown on the floor so we have taken a break from them. He also enjoys red peppers and broccoli. We pretty much give him whatever. We are delaying dairy until he is 9 months minus cows milk, which we will not get until he weans from the breast. As humans do not have the enzymes to digest grains until 2 years, we are not giving grains until at least 12 months. Peanuts will be avoided until he is tested (Alex has a severe peanut allergy) and I am unsure where I sit on fish and shellfish.
Van rides are no longer a nightmare, he is much happier in his big boy seat. I often miss his infant carrier though. Especially when he falls asleep and I am forced to wake him up. I hate having to wake him up.
Zacharey still (yes, still) wakes frequently for night time feeds and to be honest, I am not sure I am or will ever be comfortable with him sleeping through as I know he is not big, especially in the weight category. When I say wakes frequently, I really mean that he nurses like a newborn- up every two or so hours. I do not believe in scheduling a baby, or night training, as I know he will eventually figure it out on his own and work in his own routine to best suit his personal needs. I nurse him on demand, regardless of the time of day or night. Even if it has only been 30 minutes since his last feed.
He goes down for bed at 9:00pm and will sleep (usually) until 12 am. When he first goes down, I start him awake in his crib. He is able to fall asleep on his own (no crying, and we certainly do not believe in cry it out, not even for a few minutes.) When he awakes for his first night feed, I pull him in bed with us and we complete our night bed sharing.
His crib is in our room for the mean time, which makes life a lot easier for me plus it helps to regulate his breathing, which greatly reduces his risk of SIDS (as does frequent night waking). I have been having a debate in my head, and sometimes with other friends or Adam about the possibility of trying him back in his crib after feeds, to see if he may sleep longer. But then the lazy factor wins... getting out my bed that many times sucks. Perhaps in the next little while, I will try it. After all, we have nothing to lose.
Zacharey had his 8th month weight check yesterday, I was super anxious about it, as his 7th month went so poorly. It was scheduled with his doctor and not with nurse formula. I came armed with his breastfed growth chart that my friend had done for him (I had added the last few months).
We stripped him naked, reminded him NOT to pee on me and sat him on the scale. I held my breath.
8 months old
Weight 7.34 kg (16lbs 2oz) up 13oz
Length 72cm (28.35 inches)
Head 45cm (17.72 inches)
A very good gain and growth!
Although, Zacharey has yet to double his birth weight, even at 8 months old, his doctor was pleased with his gain and thinks that his lack of gain and lack of growth last month was because he was so sick. She asked me when his pediatrician appointment was, and I told her it was scheduled for the 10th (today). She said to schedule an appointment with her for consistency sake at 12 months. I am totally okay with that. The reason she doesn't want to see us until he is a year old is because she wants the pediatrician to take over his care until then.

We saw the pediatrician today, the same one another friend of mine uses for her little guy. I had heard some not so great things and was expecting the worst. A non breast feeding friendly doctor was the LAST thing we needed, and I was unsure if I had the patience to dig in my heels and fight for what is best. Of course I will ALWAYS fight for what any of my boys need. It just gets exhausting after a while.
We sign in and I nurse Zacharey as we were waiting. Adam had to work, and even though I really wanted him to come to this appointment, I know that working to support our family is so much more important.
We get called back and he is undressed and weighed again. Every scale is different, I didn't know what to expect.
Today he weighed in at
16lbs 6oz (wow!) but was only 27 inches long. Babies don't shrink.
They sent in a resident first, she asked me for a basic history and asked why we were referred (seriously? Does anyone read paper work anymore?) She also asked me if I have his weight readings from birth... uh... shouldn't that have been faxed over with the referral? Thankfully I am neurotic and had all that information one me, including the chart.
When we were waiting for the resident and the pediatrician to come back/come in general, I eavesdropped on the nurses and resident at the nurses desk. Asking about growth charts and if there actually was a separate chart for breast fed babies and formula fed babies. I chuckled to myself.
After ten or so minutes, both doctors came back into the room. The ped introduced herself and asked if it was okay to give Zacharey the once over. She asked about a million and a half questions and did her assessment. She said that even though he is obviously a small baby, he has followed his own growth curve with the exception of last month and that it was really not necessary to do a bunch of invasive tests as they more than likely will not show anything. Some babies are just small. She said that Zacharey was obviously advanced for his age and that he is perfect just the way he is *beams*. She said to keep doing everything that we are doing. The only thing she suggested (pushy) was iron supplements, which I would rather he get his vitamins from me or from food, not artificial supplements.
She has no problem doing follow ups until his 12th month appointment or for as long as needed. I am so glad that we have had a great experience for once, this is the first time a doctor has called my boy perfect. Only my midwives had ever called him perfect.
A positive experience was sooooo needed.

His 8th month pictures were quite the challenge, he didn't want to hold still so I could take them. This is what I got...