8 months

Colin is a strong, curious, happy 8 month old!  He can pull up to standing using the ottoman or mommy's leg.  He can move forward (slowly) on the floor using a technique that is more like horizontal rock climbing than it is like crawling.  He drags himself forward using his hands and his toes so he can access fun activities such as tipping over the dog's water bowl, unshelving dvds, or playing with the tv remotes.  He says "dadadada", "zzzzzzzz", 'Thhhhhhh", blows raspberries, and makes high pitched noises that we compare to the "will o' the wisps" from the movie "Brave".  

If not Dada, his first word will be dog.  Last week, he may have even attempted saying dog when Murphy passed him on the floor, but it sounded more like "dahd?".  Colin is quite capable of showing his preference for mommy and daddy above all others.  He is sometimes afraid when strangers approach him and speak to him in loud voices. He makes a new look of outrage and disgust if we try to put him down for a moment.  He never wants to lay on his tummy or sit on the ground, he only wants to stand up, which requires constant parental assistance.  A fun new game is the "sit down" game.  He pulls up to standing, wobbles around from foot to foot, then purposely leans forward and plops down on his bottom.  Then we clap and say "sit down, yay!" He bounces and laughs and repeats the game immediately.  He loves baths and likes to splash and pull the stopper on the bathtub.  He hasn't had a poopy diaper in 5 or 6 weeks because he's a pro at using the potty.
A third tooth is coming in on the top of his mouth, and I'm sure the fourth with follow quickly.  Perhaps the extra row of teeth will mean he shows some interest in eating solids.  As it is, Colin still gets his nutrition from breastmilk, with maybe 2 teaspoons of diluted rice cereal a day which he drinks through a sippy cup.

 In other news, Murphy may be entering his first dog agility show/competition in August.  I'm excited about getting ready for that.  Robert will continue holding services at the campus ministry house through the summer.  We hope to get a second car this summer...one that is dependable, good on gas mileage, with good cargo space, and is a lighter color for staying cooler in the Arizona sunshine.  No travel plans exist for us this summer and no news on the job front for me.  That's all for now!