Dear Bug,
Wow. Just, wow. You have been so busy this month! I know I say that every month, but it has become more and more apparent to me and your Daddy how much trouble we're in with you - now that you can GO, you never stop moving.
Ever.
No, really. I mean it. Ever. If you're awake and not strapped down, you're rolling and crawling and scooting and squealing and talking and singing and GOING. Actually, I take that back - even in your sleep, you're still rolling and crawling and talking. Constantly. You are definitely a busy bee.
Obviously the velcro stage is officially over. I can no longer plop you down and trust you'll stay in a five-foot radius, and serves me right. I told everyone you would crawl at seven months and wouldn't you know it, you did! On your seven-month birthday, you did your first combination of a few "steps." I should have known it would come sooner rather than later - it only took you two weeks to go from barrel-rolling to planking, from hands and knees to rocking back and forth, from a belly scoot to full-on crawling. Thankfully, even though you can crawl, you haven't quite figured out that it's faster than rolling so you do a combination of the two to get around the living room. But believe me, it is definitely efficient - you get from Point A to Point B in no time flat! The dogs never saw it coming.
This month, we traveled to Kauai, Hawaii with both sets of your grandparents. You were such a trooper! For the flight over, we had to leave Kalispell at 6am, which meant a 4:15am wake-up call for a two-hour flight followed by a very, very long day. We met everyone at SeaTac and were able to fly as a group for the five-hour leg of our trip. You did amazing on the first flight, and then equally as great on our second takeoff, but by the time we were landing in Hawaii, you had only napped one hour since 4am. One hour! You graced everyone with an overtired meltdown, and passed out as the wheels hit the ground. Despite the screaming, we had a number of people approach us and commend you on how well you did on the flight. But guess what? That night, for the first time in two months, you slept for eight straight hours! Thankfully on the trip home, you were back to your napping, happy self. We landed back in Montana near midnight, and had even more people approach us about how well you had done. Good job, Bug!
The week in Hawaii was a blast. You got to spend a lot of quality time with your grandparents, and you were able to go swimming for the first time in a pool and the ocean. You are still such a water baby! I cannot wait to start swim lessons with you! You love to splash, blow bubbles, and squeal. When you accidentally got water on your face, you weren't phased one bit. You blinked a few times and then went right back to kicking!
Right after we returned from Hawaii, we finally closed on our new house and were able to settle into Kalispell as a family - dogs included. I am loving having our own space, and you are loving having your toys back. We've been trying to get back on a schedule, and you've settled into a 7pm bedtime and a 7am wake-up, with two naps during the day. You almost always go down for your morning nap quite easily between 10 and 11, but your afternoon nap is usually an argument. Soon, little Bug, I'm hoping I figure you out! It seems like as soon as I think I know what works for you, you switch it up on me! C'est la vie, I suppose.
The final and second most important milestone of your seventh month is that you got TWO TEETH! Your Daddy has been calling them "phantom teeth" for months, and telling me I couldn't blame everything on teething. Well this time I was right! On the 18th, you were a little fussier than normal and not nursing well, then had a rough night. The next day, I was holding you and thought "Hmmm, I wonder..." and decided to check. Guess what had popped through? That little stinker, your bottom right tooth. Three days later, the other front bottom tooth followed. Now you have an adorable little "Teefer" smile and love showing them off.
This was quite the month, Bug. I wasn't exaggerating last month when I said I knew our snuggles would become fewer and farther apart - now that you're on the move, you don't let me hold you unless you're super tired or sleeping. Even when you're nursing, you're climbing all over me, holding my nose, or slapping my arm. You're not content to be held without twisting and turning and looking and lunging, and even at bedtime when you're sleepy, you won't settle down to let us rock you; it's a fight until the bitter end.
Once you're asleep, little one, I always allow myself a few more extra snuggles to make up for your busy day. Some days I miss when you were content to spend hours upon hours in my arms, when being close to me was the only thing that made you happy. Now, being close to me is the only thing that calms you down, but otherwise you're much more interested in the world around you. I would never trade the newborn you were for the little person you're becoming; you are curious, intelligent, and amazing in every single way.
But tonight, when you fall asleep and I'm sneaking in those last-minute cuddles, I'll think of my Momma's favorite book and sing it quietly while we rock:
I'll love you forever.
I'll like you for always.
As long as I'm living,
my Baby you'll be.
Until next month -
All my love,
Momma
Seven Month stats... (no appointment this month)
Weight: approximately 18 pounds
Diaper Size: Size 2
Clothing Size: Six months
New Nicknames: Goober, said with a French accent "Goo-Bear"
Seven Month Milestones...
8/26 and 9/2: First long flights to and from Hawaii
9/1: Swam in the ocean!
9/5: Started planking
9/6: Balanced on knees
9/7: Started rocking on hands and knees
9/8: Crawled two steps forward, then face plant!
9/19: First tooth (bottom right) and started crawling forward
9/22: Second tooth (bottom left) and pushed to a sit
9/23: Crawled!
