Happy 7 Months

You are 7 months old today!!! You have four teeth, crawling up a storm and are kind of starting to take steps!

This month has FLOWN by! Spring in general is such a busy time with the kind of work I do. I don't think I mentioned this earlier but we are moving to Kansas City at the end of May because you dad was offered a job at Black and Veatch! We are so excited to get closer to family and friends and be in a city that we love! It is definitely a bitter-sweet time because I love my job and will definitely miss the students and people I work with!

So, with that said,  your 7th month started out with us going to Kansas City during Spring Break to see your grandmas and to start scoping out some daycares. We were also going to use this trip as a chance to start looking at houses but after thinking about the whole process and with me not having a job yet, we wanted to not rush it and really figure out where we wanted to live! So, we will be living with your Nana and Papa Mike for a couple months when we move!

We did visit a daycare facility when we were visiting and neither of us were impressed. I won't go into the details but I have high standards for the environment I want you in and that was not it! Fortunately, one of my friends who lived in Kansas City connected me with her old provider for Mason and it turned out great! We feel great about the decision!

The weather has been so up and down this Spring that we have hardly been able to take you outside but have been able to snag some good days! You LOVE to swing and are getting more used to the grass.

You also had your six month appt a week into your 7th month. You have moved from the 31st percentile in weight to the 35th and you also had a growth spurt with your head circumfrence. You only grew an inch in length but the doctor didn't seem worried about it since you had growth in two other areas! So, basically, you are just a tiny baby which I am alright with :)

We also learned that you have met all of your 6 month milestones and all but 1 of your 9 month milestones! Woah! So advanced! The only one you need to meet is saying single syllable words such as  "Mama" or "Dada." Since you have met so many ahead of time, there is no major news for you this month! The only thing is that you are now able to walk from one end of the coffee table to the other if you want something. Also, you cut two more teeth on the top! They aren't even the front they were your "eye" teeth-the teeth on either sides of your front teeth. You kind of look like a little vampire!

We started giving you a sippy cup once a day and so far you have liked it and took to it pretty quickly!

As far as eating goes, you love your food! Your schedule is below!

6:00 am-Bottle
7:00 am-Cereal and a fruit (either applesauce, banana and pineapple, or banana)
10:00 am-Bottle
12:00 pm-Vegetable (either sweet potato, peas, carrots, peas and carrots, squash, or cauliflower mixed with squash or sweet potato)
2:00 pm-Bottle
4:30 pm-Bottle
5:30-Vegetable (see above) and cereal
7:00-Bottle

I think around eight months we are going to try to get rid of one of your afternoon bottles by giving you more food at lunch time.

I have had a blast making your baby food. It is so much cheaper, I know exactly what you are eating, and I can be creative with what I feed you!

Next on my baby food menu: Pears, Zucchini, Quinoa, and Peaches

At Nana's-you really liked this back scratcher!

And you loved on Sophie, of course.

We got some cuddle time.

You loved your bouncer we borrowed from a friend.

And you get really excited when we are about to eat. 

Sophie got a friend-Kiki. You love both!

You're new favorite thing.

We LOVE bath time!

You also tried to help me with laundry

And I was happy to let you

The first time you wore shorts

And the first time you wore your sun hat

You also went swinging for the first time

LOVE playing outside!

And standing up

You are mastering eat puffs on your own!

Having fun at the doctor's office while we wait. Selfie time!

Playing with your xylophone...kind of.

You are the most beautiful baby!

You love your pony from Aunt Cammie!

Mastering the sippy cup

I will ALWAYS love this picture of you-Young, Carefree, and oh, so HAPPY! Please stay this way forever!

In your denim skirt that was a little too big!

Fun at the park with dad!

Taking a break

Your new way of "crawling" sometimes

Those eyes

All smiles with dad

Such a prepster in your polo dress

I love making baby food for you!

You are oh, so cool in your babiators

I will never get tired of watching you sleep

Your first Easter basket

On the way to Iowa for Easter!

"Let her sleep for when she wakes she will move mountains." You will do amazing things!

Your first Easter egg hunt

You loved the blue grass!

Which is good because you can't eat the candy.

Those eyes...again!

Loving on Grandpa

Cheesin with dad!

Our beautiful family!

In your Easter outfit!

Momma's girl

I love waking up to your smiles and talking...and crazy hair

You love your puppy

Such a big girl

Playing with your new toy

Your finger is your favorite toy

And so are your keys

So pretty in polka dots

Love daddy's hat!

Struggles:

• For about a week, you weren't sleeping through the night but then we learned that it was because you were cutting teeth! Once we realized, we started giving you some tylenol and that solved the problem! 
• Traveling! Ugh! You pretty much hate being in the car for extended periods of time! You are fine if we are driving around town but when we went to Kansas City, it was kind of a nightmare. I am DREADING driving to Kansas City when we move because your dad will drive the moving van and it will be just you and me! 
• I have been working A LOT in the evenings and feel like I hardly see you. Sometimes when I come home and pick you up and rock with you just to have some contact with you. Being with you really does change my day around!

Successes:

• You are pretty much used to falling asleep on your own. We give you a bottle, rock you a bit, and when you start sucking your thumb and laying your head down, we put you in your crib and you fall asleep on your own. 
• Eating solids! You love them! You also developed the pincer grasp so you can pretty much get all of your Puffs or Cheerios in your mouth now!

What makes you, you!

• You are still sucking your thumb but I guess this isn't really a problem until you are two or three so if it is still happening, I will figure it out then. Plus, you only do it if you are tired. 
• You have the craziest hair and it is getting so long! You have been sporting the Pebbles pony tail a lot!
• Your are starting to "walk" on your hands and feet. I think this is just a step you are taking to learn to walk but it is pretty amusing to watch!

What we couldn't live without

• Johnny Jump Up-This thing will keep you entertained for a while! You have started to learn how avoid bumping your head on the doorways (that was a problem in the beginning). You LOVE to bounce around in this and walk around!
• Buy Buy Baby 3-in-1 Table When you started pulling yourself up, we knew we wanted to get you some sort of activity table. We liked this one because it will also turn into a walker for when you start walking (which is right around the corner)!
• Building Blocks-While you can't build anything yet, you sure do love knocking things down and putting the blocks in your mouth! You got these for Christmas and love them!
• Stacking Cups-You also got these for Christmas and we love the primary, contrasting colors. I never knew Ikea made baby toys until you received these and the blocks! Good thing Kansas City is getting one :)
• Ninja Blender-After our Magic Bullet crapped out on us we got this thing and it is awesome for making your baby food! It is so easy to clean and blends everything so quickly! We love it!