8 Months Here & 10 1/2 Months Old

Bug and Kitty Cat Tommie
Buddies, Rivals, and Partners in Driving Mama to Drink

My little Bug has been with me for eight months today, and I know I haven't really blogged much in that time.  For some reason, I'm hesitant to write too much about him or his case.  Things have been different than all of my others from Day One, and it's really looking promising that Bug might be my first LEGAL "forever."  TPR hearing is September 17th, and if everything goes 100% smoothly and in our favor, I might...  Just might...  be able to adopt my little Bugmeister on National Adoption Day (November 23rd).  I'm not holding my breath seeing as how this is foster care and all, but I'm cautiously optimistic.

At 10 1/2 months old, Bug is outgrowing the "baby" stage and turning into a little "person."  :-)  He's my lazy Bug, just learning how to crawl this month!  Something has happened over the past two weeks though because he seems to have suddenly decided that he's a "big boy" and wants to crawl, stand, eat table food, feed himself, drink other people's drinks, play with Monkey's "big boy" toys, etc.

I wake up hearing him laughing to himself in his room every morning.

He loves playing Patty Cake and Peek-a-Boo, gives THE BEST bear hugs and slobbery kisses, thinks that the big kids (Monkey, Buddy, Ka-Diva, Pooper, Butterfly, Booger, and Banana) are just about the coolest people ever (other than his Sissy Heaven, that is...), has Nana and Papa totally wrapped around his little finger, and is 100% a true Mama's Boy.  :-)

He loves to swim in the big pool, go for walks in the stroller, ride the big kids' rocking horse, play "Hot Potato" with his favorite ball, and stand up with help.

We walk in the front door every evening, and Bug immediately looks for Kitty Cat Tommie.  He shouts, "Hi, Cat!!!" clear as day over and over as soon as he sees him.  Those two are inseparable!  Now that Bug is mobile, he can move at lightning turtle speed.  He sees the cat (who deliberately flicks his tail in front of the baby's face just to get his attention), and practically FLIES across the room to latch on and pull Kitty Cat Tommie like a pull toy by the tail.  Tommie then flips around and uses Bug's head like one of those boxing bag things.  I separate them.  They immediately start the process over again.

Tommie has also become a permanent fixture under the highchair waiting for whatever food Bug decides to throw his way.  Bug waits until I'm not looking and drops peas, carrots, cereal bars, etc. over the side to his buddy.

Bug has perfected several "faces" including the "Ornery Face," the "Pouty Face," the "Inquisitive Face," and the "I Don't Understand How You Could Possibly Be Upset, I'm Totally Innocent Face."  (and as soon as my little Buggy is officially adopted, I'll add photos of said faces for your viewing pleasure ;-)

He recognizes several words, and thinks he says them (although I'm fairly certain he's speaking "Baby Spanish" as Ka-Diva used to say).  Hi, bye-bye, cup, ball, Mama, patty cake, bath, night-night, bottle, cat, kiss, and icky (lol).

I am crazy, crazy, crazy about this little guy, and I can't wait for the day when I can introduce him (FULL FACE VIEW AND ALL) to the world!

34 days to TPR!!! 

(Not that I'm counting or anything...  Lol :-)