Thar be the Winds of Change (or, "HD Is 2/3 of a Year Old")

Today our daughter is 8 months old.  This is hardly seen as a milestone birth anniversary (is that what you call them?).  But in the eyes of a mama, each month is total cause for celebration.  For example, today HD is 2/3 of a year old!  That's, like, so much more than half a year!!!  Being 8 months means that she's crawling and starting to understand actual words and is capable of feeding herself a bottle (which is SUPER amazing when I'm trying to cook supper).  And it means that she is officially twice as old as she was here:

Ok, she doesn't look very small with this book in her hand.  But the book is teeny, I promise.

The above was half her entire lifetime ago.  Blows my mind.  Now, in February, her hair lies flat, has much greater hand dexterity, she has teeth and can sit up on her own.  She becomes more of a little person each day.  Back in October, Hubs and I were stoked when we were able to make her laugh for the first time.  Being able to roll onto her belly was a momentous event.  In the present, laughter and rolling are daily occurrences, and HD is constantly surprising us with new tricks.  

Then, we would take her to restaurants and she would just sleep in her car seat.  Now, she's an active participant in every activity.  Grocery shopping -- HD smiles and flirts with the checker.  Driving home from daycare -- she waves at me in the mirror from her car seat.  Watching basketball -- she shrieks when I cheer for my Bruins.  This past weekend was my personal fave, though.  Hubs and I were avid hikers in our pre-baby days, and thanks to our Bjorn Active, it looks like we'll be making it a regular family thing in the future.  [Note of caution to any East Coast readers: you will be pea green with envy over the weather you are about to see from this February 6 video.  Just remember that the entire city of San Francisco is covered with freezing wet fog when you're enjoying a hot day by the pool in July.]

HD, you are the funniest (and funnest!  most fun! whatever!) girl I have ever met.  You are so curious and always have to examine, taste, and exclaim over everything in your path.  You are a social butterfly, smiling and babbling to everyone you meet (with extra special squeals of delight saved for your own reflection...which you then always attempt to hug and lick).  You are very affectionate, giving monster hugs to the people you deem worthy.  You love to try new things.  And you make your daddy and I crack up on a regular basis.  We're particularly big fans of your "benevolent dictator" wave (waves hand back and forth smiling, then finishes off by making a firm fist with a solid flourish...we're trying to get that one on video).  We're so excited each time you unveil a new side of your budding personality.  Keep growing, keep learning.