7 months old

Hey baby girl,

Another month has come and gone.  It’s simply unbelievable.

You are still as cute as always.  And pssst, just between you and me, some people are saying you are starting to look like me.  It thrills my soul every time I hear it.  You sure are good lookin’, but your insides are more important.  Let me tell you about your little 7 month spirit.

You are determined.

You are alert to everything going on around you.

You are smart, smart, smart.  Your brain is working all the time.  Just for future reference, I don’t think I’ll be able to help you with your homework.

You’re getting the hang of the peek-a-boo game and we can play that for a real long time.  It seems I get bored before you do for sure.

You are sweet and have just begun to give hugs and snuggle down to us when we pick you up.  You are starting to show affection to your people and it is so darling.

Sleep?  Who needs it?  You are too busy scooting around on your tummy, dragging one leg behind you like a wounded soldier, exploring everything you can and everything you shouldn’t.

You’re getting much stronger in your legs and have begun to attempt to pull up, especially in your crib when you don’t want to be in there.  You can also stand for a real long time holding onto something, like the ottoman.

You aren’t crawling on your hands and knees yet, but you’ve started to crawl onto things.  The other day you got in quite a bind when you crawled on top of a case of water sitting on the floor, and you didn’t really know what to do next so you started yelling.  You’re funny, girl.  But you don’t think other things are funny.  Although you grin and smile all the time, you rarely laugh.  It usually takes your cousin Ash to get you to laugh, and yesterday for the first time ever, you laughed at me.

This month we’ve hit a few bumps in the road.   It seems that you’ve developed a small case of “Stranger Danger” and will sometimes cry when your not familiar with the person holding you.  Also, you’ve gotten super attached to momma, and you’ll cry if I walk out of the room.  So guess what I’ve done?  I’ve pulled out the old baby wrap.  Remember that thing?  I’m back to strapping you to me and away we go to do the things that don’t really get done, like sweeping and cooking.  I need to figure out how to turn you around to face out however because you keep twisting your little torso around to see what in the world is going on behind you.  I’m worried you just might topple out.

But the biggest bump is the sleeping thing.  All over the internet is says kids your age should be sleeping through the night.  You did that once.  Once.  Months ago.  So in case I haven’t already told you, mom and dad would really appreciate it if you’d go ahead and meet that milestone real soon.

I hope you know sweet thing, that I don’t have a clue what I’m doing.  I google directions everyday for you concerning all sorts of issues.  Should I let you cry it out at sleep time or should we co-sleep, should I teach you sign language so you can communicate, what sorts of foods should I fee you and the list goes on and on.  I don’t know if all the “experts” have a clue either.  What I do know is you are loved deeply,  and you matter.  I want you so much to be an independent, confident, well rounded little person, now and always.  I’m trying my best and we’ll just figure this out together, okay?

I love you, baby.

XOXO

Mama