Maggie: 8 months

This has been such a fun stage (with the exception of teething of course). Maggie isn't mobile yet, but loves to sit up on her own and play with toys. Her favorite toys are ones that have textures and make noise. She still loves the crinkle sound and things that play music.

About two weeks ago, she started clapping and it's about the cutest thing she's done to date. Maggie holds her right hand in front of her and waves her left hand to meet it. She almost always smiles and sometimes giggles as she does it.

Something you may not be able to tell from the photos, is that Maggie likes to study people and things. She isn't quick to smile at a stranger or someone she doesn't recognize. I used to call it staring, but most people comment on how intense her look is and it really comes across as her studying and observing her surroundings, including the people in her presence.

She also loves to feed herself and her ability to feed herself has improved greatly in the past few weeks. Maggie started feeding herself puffs and has added blueberries and scrambled eggs to the list of things she can pick up and put in her mouth.

This past month she rolled over for the first time. Maggie rolled from tummy to back several times and a few week or so later rolled from back to tummy to back. It doesn't seem like she enjoys being on her belly, which is the ways it's always been with her.

Maggie's likes:

• still loves to be sang to and claps when she hears any music
• sitting up on her own and playing with a few toys
• watching Milton and reaching to pet him
• sitting in her high chair in the kitchen and feeding herself
• rolling onto her belly (finally!)

Maggie's dislikes:

• wearing socks
• Milton's licks (she doesn't cry or anything, but makes a face and who can blame her)
• being tired
• being strapped into her car seat (lots of back arching)

She's still the happiest baby we've ever known!