Dear Mateo

Dear Mateo,
Oh my sweet baby, you're 8 months already? You are getting so big!  I look back at the pictures from when you were born, and it's hard to believe how much you have changed. 

Guess what?  You have teeth!  Although we knew your teeth were coming, you didn't warn us with fussiness.   We could see a white spot under your gums for a couple weeks.  Then one day your papi pulled down your lower lip to reveal TWO bottom teeth had popped through.  

It was that day that you had your first cookie (supervised of course ha!)

You continue to be an easy baby for us. Bedtime is a breeze and you sleep 10 hours every night.  Your favorite books are STILL Brown Bear Brown Bear, Donde esta el Ombliguito?, and Pajama Time.  Everytime I try to introduce a new one, you are not interested.  After a few books you usually turn toward me and are ready for mama to sing "Goodnight" and hum "Lullaby and Goodnight" before laying you down.
In the morning (between 5-6am) you wake us up and papi brings you to our bed to do the "milk crawl."  We love to see how fast you race across the bed to eat your morning meal. 

Speaking of eating, you have tried so many new foods now, but your favorites are bananas, sweet potatoes and yogurt.  Oh and watermelon...you looooooove watermelon! 

Your eyes are so big and blue.  Your lashes would make any girl jealous.  Your smile warms my heart. Oh and that laugh.  Your papi and I both had tears in our eyes one morning listening to you go on and on.  It is just the sweetest noise I've ever heard. 
Your personality is starting to come out.  You are just like your papi...laid-back, always in a good mood and loves to take siestas.  I must have 500 pictures of you guys napping together.

 You smile and squeal.  You are constantly on the move.  You sit up on your own now, but only for a few seconds because it's too boring.  You want to explore and pull up on anything and everything.  We are betting that you will be walking soon. Yikes!

A couple weeks ago, your papi taught you how to kiss on command.  We say "Beso.  Dame un beso."  You lean in [with an open mouth] to give a kiss...like this...

Here you are with your two favorite toys:  the stand up activity center and the musical camera that tia Jenny bought you for xmas.  

You are always holding something in your hand.  You're determination makes us laugh.

We started giving you baths in the kitchen sink so you can sit down and splash around.  You are too wild and crazy for a big bathtub.  Of course, being in the sink did not deter you from standing up, but at least we were able to hold onto you better.

So many cute pictures of you, my little mexi-can...

You are the best!
We love you so much,
mama y papi