Your baby is healthy, normal, and full of personality and life! Congratulations! Please, please don't hit or flick her - our babies watch us so closely and learn to do what WE do: http://www.askdrsears.com/html/6/T062100.asp
Toddlers pick up on this behavior even faster, so best to decide now while she's young to learn & use other parenting approaches besides hitting, flicking, pinching, holding down (unless your baby is about to get into something severely dangerous and holding's the best way you can protect them at that moment).
Our actions are much more powerful than our words - so if you flick her, expect that she's learning how to flick you, her future siblings and friends, etc. Ditto on the hitting. If you are respectful to her (that doesn't mean permissive, just respectful in the way you show her the boundaries), she'll have a good model from which to learn respect.
So, when she's got the remote, it's your job to be creative and try to:
1) PREVENT it in the first place by keeping the remote out of the way (she's 8 months old, fer cryin' out lout - she cannot be expected to understand "no" and process that to mean "oh, I should let go of this" - absolutely unrealistic!)
2) DISTRACT + REDIRECT, or DISTRACT + SUBSTITUTE (this should be your mantra while she's this age and for the next many months!) Show her to another interesting object or activity if the remote does get left and she finds it - and when her attention has switched to the new object, put away the remote where it's not a visible, reachable temptation for her.
3) When you do have to remove something from her hands and tell her no, or "not for baby" or "ouchie!", tell her and give her something SHE CAN play with. Teach her what IS ok to touch.
It's so important to understand that babies really learn through exploration, experimentation, touch - these are GREAT qualities in your baby. Try to keep that in mind when she's going for the remote for the 30th time tomorrow morning. ;) Really. She's determined to figure out what that thing is! Yes, it may require a little more preparation on behalf of the parents (creating a space where it is ok for your daughter to explore without hundreds of "no's" - make a "yes!" playarea). And yes, sometimes it's tough to be creative on the spot (easier to grab something from your daughter, but not necessarily best - better to get creative and distract/redirect!)... but with a little practice, you can do it. :)
Best advice I can give is to find out:
1) what is *normal* developmental behavior for your daughter so that you understand she is normal (and likely advanced!)
2) THEN read up on strategies you can use that are appropriate to your daughter's age/developmental stage
3) if you need support, I suggest attending the monthly API Circle of Columbus parenting group which meets on the third Saturday of every month from 1 - 2 p.m. at Wild Oats Community Room, 1555 W. Lane Avenue (questions? contact Karina Brown ____@____.com)
Some good books to start with:
Dr. Sears' "The Baby Book" does a good job of giving information on each age/developmental stage. And his "The Discipline Book" is also a good starter reference for ideas/strategies.
"Becoming The Parent You Want To Be" is an excellent book with lots of different strategies to use with your quickly growing girl - LOVE this one!
Lastly, if you feel yourself starting to be irritated, resentful, grumpy with your daughter (which happens to all of us at some point - parenting is a demanding, intense, wonderful, exhausting, amazing job!), try to give yourself some alone time to recharge (a 10 minute walk while your baby naps in a stroller, a friend or relative to watch the baby for a few hours while you have some personal time, time at the gym, etc.). I find I have my worst mothering days when I'm overtired and haven't had any time to myself for a while.
Best of luck, and congratulations on your daughter!