Hannah's New Moves

Well, since I don't currently have access to Hannah's baby book, and she is doing new things every day, I thought I'd use this blog as a sort of make-shift baby book or journal. If you don't care to read about each & every minute detail about Hannah's life these days, just pass on by this particular entry! :)

Hannah is a little over 8 months old, and she is changing so quickly every day! She now has her second (bottom) tooth, so when she smiles, you can see 1 & 1/2 teeth. :) She is really exploring those teeth, and she is also exploring the different faces & grins she can make with those teeth (i.e., the chin jutting grimace, the pursed lips, the open-mouthed grin, the coy smile with the tongue stuck out, etc. etc.) We are all getting a kick out of watching her try out these different "looks." Hannah has also been introduced to rice rusks, which are a sort of melt-in-your-mouth baby rice cake. She seems to feel like a big girl as she holds the cracker & sets it down occasionally on her tray or the table. She also likes to grab hold of any type of paper product, and we've seen her attempting to "clean" surfaces with little bits of kleenex, paper towel, etc.
Hannah had her first pool experience the other night while us girls were at the beach--she wasn't sure about the whole thing, but I think it will grow on her as she has more chances to be in the pool. I'm hoping to enroll us in a baby & me swim class ASAP! :) Anyway, when we first put her in there, she was kicking a little and was holding pretty tight to me, but then after a few minutes she settled in & just started sucking her thumb as if to say "This is boring, Mom!" :) The water was a little colder than her normal bath water, so maybe it was just a confusing experience all the way around.
I think she is also trying to clap. My mom has been playing pad-a-cake with her a lot, and now Hannah tries to sort of squish her hands together while they're still in a semi-closed position. (It looks more like she's praying, but I think the ultimate goal is to make that fun, loud slapping noise that she keeps hearing!)
She is still pushing herself backwards from the tummy position, and manages to worm her way around the floor, but we haven't seen her do any official crawling forward. She does do a pretty good plank position--she could beat any pilates & aerobics instructor the world over! This morning on the couch, she managed to bring herself up to a seated position from laying down on a pillow, and although it probably wasn't quite as difficult because of the cushy surroundings, I still think it shows her strength! :)

Anyway, a lot is going on with Hannah right now, not the least of which is a new room & new places to explore--soon!! (The house should be closed by the end of the business day today! Woo-hoo!) For now, Hannah is getting her beauty rest, and I'm taking some time to work on the computer while enjoying the sunshine just outside the window. More to come...