She's eight months old!

and Rachel is...

--getting heavier every day
--fascinated with everything on the changing table EXCEPT stuffed animals: The Vaseline jar, the Butt Paste box, the body lotion I rub on her body every night. Why am I even bothering trying to interest her in traditional toys??
--snuggly only when she's tired. Then, she lays her cheek on my chest and falls asleep as I gently stroke her back.
--extremely curious. Her eyes roam everywhere and her arms reach out for anything she finds interesting.
--more attached to mom and dad and less inclined to let our friends hold her.
--whiny when she doesn't get enough sleep. Or, when she's teething.
--eagerly scarfing down baby food. Although she doesn't seem to like rice much, even when combined with peas, one of her favorite foods.
--determined to figure out how things work. Last weekend, as I tried to put her fingers around the zipper on my pullover, she gently took my hand and put it to the side. The gesture said, "Mommy, I want to do it MYSELF!"
--blue-eyed for good, we think. No sign of her lovely eyes changing color.
--a constant reminder of how, despite the terrible economy and the collapse of newspapers, how lucky we are.