8.5 Months

We are in a parenting sweet spot. Malachi is so interested in exploring the house that I have much more opportunity to get things done during the day. Consequently the laundry is consistently folded and the dishes consistently managed for the first time in I don't know how long.

Additionally, naptime and bedtime are going increasingly smoothly, which makes for a happier baby and less frazzled mama.

And finally, Malachi is a particular joy at this stage. At 8 1/2 months, he is a delightful combination of curious and adventuresome. He is becoming a lot more attached to Daddy, which warms our hearts. He doesn't readily go to strangers, which at his age, makes us happy that he knows that he belong to us and prefers us.

Malachi is really into doors lately. He makes a beeline for the open ones with a purposeful wiggly-tushed crawl. It used to bother him if he couldn't see me, but now, he is content to know that I am nearby while he explores. Consequently, as I am trying to form the habit, he's finding more closed doors to keep him out of the messy piles that have been formed while clearing the One Room that I try have baby-proofed. He stands on his tippy-toes at these closed doors, reaching for a knob that is still several inches away. And if ever I forget, sure enough, I will quickly see his backside disappearing through the open door.

Malachi's constant companion today has been a spoon. Yes, he's getting to that age. I think it's adorable. Terrible picture, but it's all I could come up with before the pre-naptime meltdown.