Dear Callan -SEVEN!

Dear Bubs-
Today is your seven month birthday. Holy moly, 7 months? You're a bonna fide child now. How the heck did that happen? I guess I should get a refund on that time freezing machine I bought on QVC. This month has been ridiculous, but in the best way possible.

You got  to go back to Boston to visit Nana and Papa as well as some of mama's friends this past month. While we were there you got to have a play date with Mabel. She's a few months older than you, but you are about the same size! It was so fun to see you guys play together and it made me wish we lived closer.

Teasing Mabel



Showing Mable the intricacies of the box




You loved the faces Nate was making

You've got such a personality and I love watching it develop. You are such a happy kid and I'm taking all the credit for it! People might try to tell you it's inherent, but I think it's due to your amazing parents! You still love bath time and love splashing around in your yellow ducky tub. At some point we'll need to transition you to the big tub and you'll probably lose your mind with the space you'll have to splash around. You don't mind water in your face (which makes washing your hair a breeze) and I can't wait to take you swimming, although it could be dangerous since you have no fear. One of the (many) cute things I love about you is your crazy hair. Dad calls it your radish top as it sticks straight out from the top of your head. I'm a little sad because it's starting to fall down and that is just one more thing from your "babyhood" that is almost gone.

We've slowly been introducing solids to you via baby led weaning. Although your main source of nutrition is still milk, it's been fun watching you discover food. You only have two teeth (the bottom ones) but you've done lots of vegetables and some meat and so far you seem to be enjoying all of it (except for curry, you've tried it a couple of times and have not been a fan). We incorporated some baby oatmeal into your diet in an attempt to get you some additional vitamins and iron (after we were reprimanded by the doctor) and since we also started some finger foods with you, we figure you'll also get some in the dry cereal. We haven't tried Cheerios yet, but right now rice Chex are a favorite of yours -I think you enjoy the crunch. Most days we do one meal (usually dinner although it's probably not even a full meal with you) and if we go out on the weekends we'll do those meals as well. You are so well behaved in restaurants and people are so impressed with you as you'll sit there and "eat" while everyone else does too. To be honest, I'm loving this baby led weaning thing because it allows you to feed yourself and frees up my hands so I can eat too (yes, your mama's a piggy)!

I think you have a little something on your face

 We are also giving you a little bit of water or milk during dinner and it's so cute to watch you drink (or attempt to drink) from a cup. I wanted to try and avoid the sippy cup since that's just another thing to wean you from, so we've been doing either a straw or a real cup and a shot glass is the perfect size for you to hold.


Something to quench your thirst

A quiet moment of play -where you're not moving!

 Physically you've done a lot this past month and you're developing at lightening speed. It's funny because you were a little "late" to the rolling, and I was convinced you could do it, but you just didn't want to. Well to prove me wrong, you seemed to go at lightening speed once you decided to become mobile and you went from rolling, to crawling to standing and now you're attempting to master walking, but hopefully that is still MONTHS away -seriously, months because mama can't handle you not being a baby. I joke with people that I trip you when you try to walk, but don't worry, I'm not really doing that (or at least not admitting it to the internet!). I also joke that you're not even that good at crawling -you have the funniest crawl that I call a peg-legged crawl since you like to use one knee (your right) and one foot (your left) to propel yourself forward. If you wear baggy pants it's hard to tell that you're using a foot instead of a knee and it just looks like you shake your butt a lot when you move.

Speaking of shaking, you continue to be a squirmy worm and have taken it to a whole new level this month. Changing your diaper or your clothes has turned into something akin to wrestling a small animal, a ferrel animal at that. You flip over, try to sit, stand or really do anything other than lie peacefully on your back. You LOVE standing and will do it whenever you get the opportunity -even in your crib when you should be lying down and sleeping. Speaking of which, your sleep this past month has not been great and I really wish you would improve. I think you're paying me back for being so smug about your sleeping habits before, and if that's the case, lesson learned -you can go back to the old ways now. Your newest "trick" has been waking up in the middle of the night screaming bloody murder. You settle down immediately if someone goes in to hold you, but getting you back down to sleep in the crib is where the problem lies. Sigh, I would love that baby that slept 10+ hours in a row... if you see him, can you send him back my way? Tell him I miss him.

Good morning sleepy head. You might not have slept through the night, but you still are cute

There is so much more I could write about you, but I don't have the time or energy -instead I'm going to save it all for you. Each month seems to go by faster and faster and I'm just not prepared for how much you've changed. This week is Thanksgiving, and in addition to the pies and stuffing, I'm taking time to be thankful and to count my blessings because I truly am lucky to have such wonderful family and friends (who are my family) as well as you, bubba, and daddy. This week kicks off the holiday season and although we won't be travelling this year to see family, we'll spend time together as a new family creating new traditions and memories and relishing your first Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year. This really is a magical time of year and I can't wait to share it with you.

You are the best.

Happy 7 months!

Love,
Mama