7 month update

Dear Addison,

You are 7 months!  It is always so shocking to me how much can change in just one month.  I have so much to write about!  I definitely felt like we reached a new stage this month.  I have to pay such close attention all the time to make sure you don't grab breakable things, put gross stuff in your mouth, fall off things or crawl somewhere dangerous.  But it's all so fun, and watching you explore your world is just about the best thing ever.  Here's ALL you've been up to this month:

- At your 6 month check up you were 27.25 inches (89th percentile) and weighed 15 pounds (20th percentile).  Your weight gain is still slow, but nothing to be concerned about.  My nickname in middle school was Beanpole.  I hated it, but prepare yourself honey, for one similar.  You'll be stronger for it. :)

- A week after your 6 month "birthday," your first tooth arrived (May 16th).  To be honest, I was really nervous about the whole teething thing, since I know every baby handles it differently and I just had no clue how it would go for you.  Thankfully, this tooth was a total surprise!  I had no clue it was coming, so obviously you weren't too miserable in the process.  Since then the second came in (May 29th), also without incident. Great job!

- You can crawl!!  Right at 6 months, you started your first attempts at crawling.  It wasn't pretty, but with a lot of effort, you could pull forward with your arms.  Since then you've gotten better and faster, and have started targeting things like exposed electrical outlets and dangling cords (yay). It's still in the "army-crawl" phase, but you will sit up on your knees and rock, so maybe soon you'll use your legs to help you move.

- Sitting up is the lowest on your priority list.  You can do it, but I think the problem is that it requires STAYING STILL, which is obviously no fun.  As our friend Dan put it, you are "pure adrenaline," so if you're awake you're moving, and you go straight from a sit to a crawl in about 2 seconds.

- This month had tons of first experiences.  There was your first (real) trip to the beach, which was wildly successful.  Then came your first time swimming at the pool (ahh, so glad we have this neighborhood pool!), and Dad dunked you - you love it!  Now when I pull you around in the pool, it really looks like you're swimming because you'll just kick your legs and laugh.  Finally, there was your first plane ride and first trip to Colorado.  I couldn't be prouder of you for how well you did, even on WAY less sleep than usual.

this is my favorite picture ever. it's so you!

- You're extremely observant.  If you're eating and hear anything - even just Aslan walking down the hall downstairs - it's an ordeal to get you focused again, or we have to give up altogether.  One day I got you up from your nap and was wearing earrings that I usually don't wear, and you immediately noticed.  Another time I was feeding you guacamole and had the tiniest bit on my hand.  You would not keep eating until you wiped it off.  CIA agent, anyone?

- Naps are going SO well.  Last month we weren't in such a great spot, but things are much better now.  You take two naps a day, at 10 and 2.  I can't say what a relief it is to have this predictability, and both are at such convenient times for me!  Usually one of those is two hours, and the other is around an hour or 1.5 hours.  

- Night sleep is wonderful.  After the pediatrician gave us the go-ahead to stop feeding you during the night, I knew we might have a process ahead to get you on board with the plan.  The first night you cried for an hour and 25 minutes.  Do you know how long that sounds at 2am??  I felt so bad for you, but we knew it was the right thing.  And guess what?  That was all it took.  You're now sleeping through the night, from 7pm-7:00 or 7:30am.  (I still do a "dream-feed" at around 10pm, but that's more for my own peace of mind; you don't wake up to ask for it).

- You're a solid food champ, and haven't refused anything yet.  Per pediatrician's request, you eat solids 3x a day.  It takes for.ev.er, since you like to take your sweet time.  I can't even list all the foods you've had, but favorites still include avocado, and most recently a blend of apple, banana, oats, and cinnamon that I make in the food processor.  I'm making most of your baby food unless we're traveling, which is pretty fun.

- You are still so vocal.  You talk constantly and especially love saying baba and dada, and experiment with yelling and whispering.  You also somehow learned to do an extremely high, ear-piercing scream... when you're happy.  We are hoping once the novelty wears off you'll stop.  The funniest thing you do is make an "indian noise" with your mouth.  Dad taught you by doing it for you, and then all of a sudden, you did it to yourself!  It's a regular thing every day, and still makes me laugh, and you definitely do it on purpose to be funny.  I BARELY caught it on video, and you stopped as soon as you noticed I was filming and wouldn't do it again.

- We're seeing the first hints of stranger awareness, especially about men.  Sometimes you're fine and just study them for a minute, but other times you'll bust out crying if someone you don't know gets near you too quickly.  It even happened with grandpa!  I promise he's an OK guy, but otherwise, go ahead and cry when boys come around.  I have a feeling we'll be beating them off with a stick one day, so any help you can give us in that department is just fine.

- I just can't say enough about how happy, funny, and flexible you are.  On all our travels, you've been all smiles and just roll with the flow.  You engage people with a smile and laugh out loud all the time.    You also make funny noises, laugh to yourself, blow raspberries constantly (especially fun during mealtimes...) and do fake coughs to get attention.

This month's update turned into a book!  I can't wait to see what next month holds.  Dad and I love you soo much and still ask each other how we got so lucky to be blessed with you.  We thank God for you, little one!

 And finally... Just look how much you're changing!