7 Months Old

Well, we've reached 7 months.

Really?

Guess so.

I still don't feel like a mom, but I have never been so in love with such a little nugget of happiness in my life! Of course, he has done some great things this last month:

He has sprouted two. Count 'em, his first TWO teeth! I could tell he was teething because he had been a little fussier, was sticking all four of his fingers in his mouth and I could see little pimple like bumps on his lower gum. I didn't even realize that one of them made some really good progress until his pediatrician found it and showed me at his 6 month appointment. It was juuuuust about ready to come through. And then a couple weeks later the second one did the same thing. I may be cutting out the nursing soon and just go to pumping and bottles. That little devil has bitten me a few times and it does not feel good! Funny thing, however, is when he has done it, I will jump and jerk him away out of pure reaction. Then he looks up at me with his eyes all huge since I probably scared him. And then my laughing begins and I can't stop for probably 5 or 10 minutes. All the while he is looking at me like I am crazy.

He went swimming (in a swimming pool, not a huge man made lake) for the first time. And of course, Daddy taught him how to splash! It is the cutest thing to watch, but best when watched at a distance. Both Daddy and I got lots of water in our eyes and up our noses.

We got him his first nursery rhyme book. It is The Real Mother Goose. This is the same book I had when I was a little girl. I remember the black and white checkers on the cover and Mother Goose riding a giant goose with a baby riding along in her basket. Did anyone else have this book? I remember loving the pictures in it and my parents reading it to me. Kollin and I wrote cheesy little notes in the front cover that Tanner can read when he's older also. awwww... At first, I was turning to a random page and reading a random nursery rhyme to him. I quickly found out that this was not the best idea. Some of those rhymes are violent and disturbing! I'm just going to have to remember to read the rhyme quickly in my head before reading it out loud. Just so I don't accidentally read about a little man that had a little gun full of  lead that shot a duck in the head. This book was first published in 1916, so I guess it wasn't that big of a deal back then? Eep!

Another very very cute thing that he has started to do is say "mama." Kollin likes to take credit by saying he taught him to say it when he is hungry, needs his diaper changed or is tired. He started only saying it when he was crying, which would break my heart every time! But then he started saying it just whenever he felt like it. Happy or upset. I know that kids usually say "dada" first, so HA! I'm still not sure if I am courting this as his first word since I don't know if he realizes what he's saying. Also that his pediatrician said that "mama" is actually a distress call at the beginning. But then again, he might know what he's saying!

Along with "mama," he is also saying "bah bah bah." I'm sure there are probably more, but I've been racking my brain for the last 10 minutes and can't think of any! He's also asleep right now, so I can't just sit and listen to my little chatter box at the moment. He has also started to smack his lips when he sees food coming. That has only happened over the last few days, but I laugh so hard each time!

I know I have mentioned it before, but WOW this kid is squirmy! He reached another new high in this department this past month. Also, maybe a couple days after this happened he went and rolled off our bed. While I was sleeping. DOH! I had brought him into bed with me after Kollin left for work since it is much easier to be able to nurse him in bed while I still pretty much sleep in the mornings. While I was dozing in and out of consciousness I could hear him babbling and squirming around. (mind you, the day before this happened the same thing was happening. I opened my eyes JUST in time to see him sliding off Kollin's side of the bed head first. I was able to grab his leg just in time.) But this time I didn't open my eyes. I heard a BANG and then a WHAAA! That sure jolted me awake in a hurry. I jumped out of bed and found him on his stomach on the floor by Kollin's side of the bed. I scooped him up and started talking to him cheerfully like it was no big deal and he stopped crying after just a few seconds. I think it was more of being scared than hurting. I (of course) checked his head and every other inch of his little body for any bumps or breaks. He was just fine. My little trooper is going to be crawling in no time. I'm still trying to decide if I am happy or scared out of my mind for this to happen. lol

He also got his first big boy bath! He is loving it. Especially when I spray him with the shower head. When I hold it still, he sits and reaches for the water as if he thinks he can grab it. So silly.

He is getting a lot better at grabbing things. His pediatrician was pretty impressed with this apparently. Along with him being able to sit on his own, and sitting for an extended period of time. He said he likes to see all this happening by 9 months and that we're a little ahead of the scale. Sweet! I guess?

Along with grabbing things, he has also (kind of) started to play catch. He has got the timing down perfectly on when to put his hands down in order to stop the ball from rolling, and keeping it there until he is ready to let go.

About a week or so ago I think he figured out mirrors. Daddy was standing on one side of the room and he was looking at him through the mirror about half way in between them. Then he looked directly at him. Then back in the mirror. Then at him. Then the mirror. Then him. Then the mirror... you get the idea. I've always called it "the baby/mommy/daddy/doggy/whatever else in the other world." (patent pending) But I'm pretty sure he is figuring out that the other world is still our world. I'm not sure when this realization usually happens, but it was so great to see his little mind working on solving that riddle!

We also cut his hair again for the second time. That stuff grows fast! Good thing too. Since we're not that great at cutting hair yet, I never have to freak out too much since it'll be back to what it was in just a few weeks.

Keep the good and fun times coming kid!
Weight: 16.2 lbs
Length: 25.3 inches

I love you more every day. Even on the hard ones.

xoxo

mama