seven months

Dear Christian, 

As the months go by, taking your monthly pictures is getting increasingly difficult. You just won't stay still for more than a second at a time, and even then you're constantly moving your little hands or feet. I love it! Oh, this is what happens when I do try to make you keep still for just one little tiny second.

Your personality is really starting to show. You are so sweet. I love the way you've started to bury your head in my shoulder if someone starts talking to you. But you always peek back out to give them a smile. You are so happy and so content. You are laid back, like your dad. And you're kinda stubborn like your Mama. But that's a good thing! That means you'll stick up for what you believe in and won't back down. And at this moment, that means "being awake is too much fun to worry about sleep!" It's a big new world that you're discovering. You're crawling and pulling yourself up to your knees. If you're holding onto something, you can stand by "yourself." Yesterday I talked to the mom of a ten week old little girl and I can hardly remember you being that tiny! Geez, time moves so fast. 

You're eating all kinds of new foods (and other things found on the floor... ok, basically anything you can get your hands on and in your mouth), but I think you're slightly over the pureed business. You like to pick the puree off the spoon, your face, your bib, the tray, and put it in your mouth. So I'm thinking we'll start giving you bits and pieces of bananas or avocados to see how you like finger foods. Which is what I wanted to do all along. But now I think you might be really ready for it! 

Your dada and I just love you so so so SO much. The way you smile at us in the morning like seeing us is the best thing in your world. Well, I can assure you, seeing you is absolutely the best thing in our world. I kiss you all day and can't even imagine the day you'll tell me to stop! Is that day actually going to come?? 

You'll soon take your next big trip to Virginia... yeah, Mama's a little scared. I couldn't even sit through a church service last week with you on my lap! How am I going to manage a day's worth of flying?? I do understand that there is just too much to do to sit still for any length of time. That is why we're going to the kid gym, daily. It gives you plenty of room to crawl around, and the opportunity to see other people your size! Like your new buddy, Luca. 

Soon your little bum will be free of disposable diapers! After doing quite a bit of research, recently and while I was pregnant, I've officially decided to make the switch to cloth diapers. Luca's mama has completely filled me in and shown me just how easy it actually is and I'm excited to do this! Better for the environment, better for you. Plus, your mommy and daddy were cloth diapered, back when they used safety pins! Can you imagine? They're just so different now. And we'll be able to use them up through potty training. Which I've also read that cloth diapered babies potty train faster. Bonus! 

You have FOUR teeth... and possibly number five incoming. You could fill a pool with the amount of drool you're producing.

You love the water. The beach. The sand. It's a good thing too, because you don't know it yet, but we live in paradise. In the middle of the ocean. Although you don't seem to discriminate against water... the beach, the pool, the bath... all great places for splashing. 

But the beach gives you the added bonus of eating sand.

Oh, little Christian. You are our world. We love you so much. And you are loved by so many people.

Just try and get some sleep at night, little one. Ok? Sigh. Sleepless nights and all, I wouldn't change a thing. Ok, yeah, maybe that you'd sleep through the night. EVEN STILL, at 3am, you can't help but smile at me, which makes me smile... at 3am, every.single.time.

We love you,

Mama (and Dada)