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Dylan, you are 8 months old today.

Wow.

As I tweeted earlier today, that's a full 2/3 of the way through your first year, and only another 4 months from that huge milestone! So much has changed in the last few weeks that it's hard to remember everything you've picked up in the last month, and even more-so since my 6-month post… but I'll try.

You are an expert feeder now, both at liquids (mommy quashed that pre-game ritual pretty quickly) and "solids." You can (and have on several occasions) sit up in one of those lame crummy high chairs they provide at restaurants, without any trouble at all. You've also sprouted your first two teeth — lower front — and bitten Mommy a few times, which she really doesn't appreciate. You've added Cheerios and bits of banana to your repertoire, but you've only just gotten to the point where you eat more or less the same amount that you rub into your clothes and hair, lose in the high chair, drop on the floor, or otherwise feed to the dog. We can see your precision in picking them up and depositing them into your mouth growing almost daily. Sometimes we wonder if you're intentionally picking up a Cheerio with the tips of your thumb and pointer finger, or if it's an accident — so as silly as it sounds, that's an accomplishment!

While we're on the subject of food, what we hope will be your first two signs — "please" and "more" — you seem to understand when we do them (though I don't think it's occurred to us to use them without speaking until it did to me just now) but you're not yet really mimicking them back. It's still kind of early to expect it, but we hope all of the hard work now will pay off when you do start.

But signing aside, you're already way more communicative than you were just 2 months ago. We can see in your face when you're frustrated or tired, and you are always smiling and showing off your teeth — such a happy baby. You have recently — maybe in the last week or so — started waving goodbye when we leave somewhere or at nap time, but not so much at an arrival. And you get the cutest expression when you're trying to figure out how something works. Your whole mind obviously wrapped up in figuring it out, your brow furrows and your eyes — normally actively darting around the room — focus in on the task.

You are, of course, growing like a weed. Fortunately, you've not given us a reason to take you to the pediatrician's office lately so we don't have an official weight and height to give — but I'll ask Mommy in the morning what her latest estimates are and stick them right here: [here]. It won't be much longer until you've completely outgrown the exer-saucer, which will be a shame because you do ever so dearly love standing up and walking around in that thing. Oh, and twice in the last week you've had massive blow-outs ("diaper failure" if you're nasty) while standing in it… and just as Mommy and I were about to sit down for dinner; which makes for an … let's say "interesting"… challenge of cleaning up, and for cold dinner.

But it's worth it!

We think you may be cutting a few more teeth (though not visible yet) because you've gone back to having a few nights here and there where you have trouble sleeping through the night. And then there's the drool. Oh god, the drool. You could have filled our swimming pool. Twice. This week.

You're also quite the charmer, apparently. We saw a baby girl, maybe a month younger than you — if that — at the ice cream parlor on vacation last week, and she was eating out of the palm of your hand, you little devil you.

So here's to a splendid first 8 months, and the hope of having the next 4 be just as entertaining and rewarding.