Seven Months.

Dear Naomi,

You recently turned seven months old. SEVEN MONTHS OLD.

I know, I know, I'm awful at keeping up with these letters. Just bear with Mama on this one!!

This month was a pretty big deal. So, let's get to it!

Growth

You now weigh 15.4 pounds. You are still long and lean with a little head. People still mention how petite your features are, and they're right! Little nose, little mouth, little hands. Little Mouse.

Development

This month we started implementing a set routine. Our pediatrician was definitely on to something! Of course, once we started to get things going, you got sick, which turns everything on its head! But, for the most part, you've adhered to it very well, which shows me that you appreciate the predictability (unless we're out and about ... then you're all kinds of happy to be around people, and don't seem to care one bit if you're on a schedule or not!). You have a bottle and cereal around 7:00, then it's nap time from 9:00ish to 10:45ish, then bottle and lunch at 11:00, catnap from 12:30 to 1:30ish, then a snack bottle around 2:00, and your final and long nap from 3:30-5:30ish. Then it's bottle, dinner, and then bottle and bedtime at 7:30. At home, you like the predictability.

It's been extremely helpful and you've done very well. So well, in fact, that the other day as we were driving around town, you suddenly let out a cry and it actually caught me off guard. Fussiness used to be your mantra, but this new routine has cut down on that, so much to where it's now the exception rather than the rule. Phew! I'm glad we've found something that works so well for you.

You are a giddy, sweet baby girl. You are definitely strong-willed, but you are, at the same time, happy-go-lucky. You've really picked up on playing by yourself. I like to fill up your little toy bin with your toys and place you next to it. And you can entertain yourself for a good twenty minutes with just emptying the bin, one toy at a time. You pick up each toy, inspect it, and set it down after it meets with your approval. Or it ends up in your mouth. Either one. You still love to jump in your jumper, too, which is all kinds of cute.

You are now getting up on all fours and rocking, but there is no crawling as of yet. You absolutely love to stand up (with help, of course) and you can hold on to the couch standing and balance for a good ten seconds. There's this tiny part of me that worries that you might take after your Dadda and walk at nine months ... but we're thinking happy thoughts and predicting that you'll take your time!

You love to "talk" by babbling back and forth with any obliging party. You are a social butterfly. The family is convinced that your very clear "MAMA!" is directed at me, and I think I have to agree. I'm fairly certain that you know who I am and that you enjoying calling for me when you are fussy or get hurt.

Food

You have five bottles a day, and eat solids for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Your breakfast usually consists of oatmeal and sometimes oatmeal and prunes. For lunch and dinner you have a fruit or a veggie. You love bananas, squash, pears, and green beans. You tolerate mango and peas are definitely your least favorite!

Sleep

As mentioned earlier, you take three naps a day. The first one is long, the second is short, and the third is long. Then you go to bed around 7:30 and are now sleeping solid (YAY!) until 6:45 or 7:00. You continue to love your pacifier, and you are allowed to have it during sleep times or sick days. You can now put your paci back in with impressive efficiency, which makes all of us very happy in the middle of the night!

Little Mouse. Our hearts continue to burst with joy for you. Just last night, as I was giving you your bottle in the nursery, your Dadda walked in and stood there while we both stared at you while you ate. And then we smiled at each other. Even though we are getting used to having two kiddos and the joy and craziness that accompanies it, there is still this underlying feeling of awe and humility, realizing how abundant the blessing of children can be. You still make us catch our breath. We delight in you, Little Mouse. We love our baby girl.

As always, we can't wait for what lies ahead.

Love,

Mama