I know I say this every month, but 8 months already! This little boy of ours is growing up so fast lately.

This has been such a huge milestone month for you, as we’ve confirmed that you have Cows Milk Protein Allergy. I feel like it explains so much now - why you’ve struggled so much with wind and tummy pain, and why you gradually became more and more upset as the months went on. We also inadvertently confirmed the allergy when, just after celebrating 6 weeks milk free, you ate something which we’d not realised contained milk. We’d thought before that your allergy couldn’t be that bad, as we’d struggled through until 6 months, but it’s clear from the week long reaction that you’re actually very sensitive to milk. Since removing it from your system, you’ve been like a different baby - full of smiles, very laid back, and easy to settle. Very much like the baby that we first brought home from hospital and marvelled at how chilled you were.

On the food front, you’re doing so well with it all. Despite me wanting to do a combination of purees and finger food, you’ve made your preference very clear, and you’re much more about feeding yourself. You love broccoli, banana bread, egg muffins, peas, rice cakes, bananas, and it’s amazing to see how well you can pick things up now and put them to your mouth. Of course, you love to play with your food as well as eat it, so we end up with a lot on the floor, but that’s all part of the fun.

You’re still showing no signs of crawling and, in fact, I’ve got a feeling that you’re going to be a bum shuffler. Although you can roll both onto your tummy and back over, you rarely choose to, as you much prefer to be sitting. And I’ve noticed a few times lately you’ve managed to shuffle yourself forward while you’re sitting, so I suspect we’ll see you developing that rather than crawling. There’s nothing wrong with carving your own path in life and being a bit of a rebel!

You’ve started to babble and it’s the cutest thing! Ba ba ba, da da da, ga ga ga - we’re getting them all lately. Of course, Daddy is convinced you’re saying Dada (we’ll just let him think that for now). Max loves to babble back to you and it’s like the two of you are having your own little conversation that no-one else can understand.

Your relationship with your brother is so lovely to see developing. You absolutely worship him, and I can see your eyes following him round the room all the time. Even when I’ve exhausted ever avenue of trying to cheer you up, often Max can come along and do something silly and have you in fits of giggles.

You love your bath at the moment - I’m still getting in with you, and you love to splash about, ‘swim’ on your front, pop the bubbles, and grab my toes. You’re not as much of a fan of getting out of the bath though - every time you put up a very loud protest!

And sleep? The less said about the better really - it’s still not your favourite thing!

Happy 8 months - it really feels like we’ve turned a corner, and I can’t wait to enjoy our next month together.