Tenley is 8 Months Old!

My sweet Tenley,

You are 8 months old! I really do feel like this month went by faster than the last. Maybe it is because for the first time in 17 months (including pregnancy) I was away from you for a whole 6 days. You'll never know how hard that was for me. I missed you so terribly I could actually feel my heart hurting. You, on the other hand got along just fine. You had your Daddy who did fantastic as always. I was so ready to come home to yall, and finally my heart was complete again.

You are becoming such a big girl. It's like every day you learn something new. You are trying so hard to crawl, I can tell you are getting frustrated because you just want to be mobile. I noticed you pulling up onto your knees last night and I have no doubt it won't be long and we will be chasing you all over the place. Right now you are getting around really good in your walker. You chase the cats and run to us when you see us. It is so funny watching you run around and explore. You are so curious and want to touch/put everything in your mouth. We've started telling you "no!" and you really seem to understand. Sometimes I tell you "no!" and you start throwing a fit but you don't do whatever it is again. You are so smart my sweet girl.

You've started saying "Da Da". You absolutely refuse to say "Ma Ma" in fact when I tell you to say "Ma Ma" you look at me and say "Da Da?" Of course your daddy gets a kick out of this. You are learning to wave bye and I swear I heard you say "HEY!" the other day. You do lots of blabbering and squealing, you love to hear yourself talk. I won't say which parent you get that from! :)

You are still in a size 3 diaper and 6 month clothes. You have 2 bottom teeth, and a 3rd just popped through (that may actually need to go on the 9 month post, because this one is late...anyways!) I can see your top two teeth they just haven't broken the skin yet.  You literally eat anything we give you, you're like your Momma in that way:) You are not picky in the slightest.

 You have the sweetest little personality. People stop us in the store to tell us how beautiful you are. You then lay you head my shoulder and bat your eyelashes, really hamming it up for them! You love to hear MiMi and Aunt D sing the "Hop" song, or the "Duck" song.

Tenley Hope, you amaze me every single day. Your Daddy and I are constantly laughing at you and being with you is the best thing ever. Thank you for being the missing piece to our little puzzle. Sometimes I look at you and think, "She is why I am here, She is my purpose." If you are the only thing I get right in this whole world, I'll be ok with that. Your are so perfect and I am so proud to be your Momma.
We love you Tenley Hope. More than you could ever know.