7 Months: A New Perspective

What a doll you are, Grace Noelle!  Seven months old and full of joy.  You are sweet and patient, content to just be with your family, even if that means you are stuck in your little chair as we all whiz around you.  When we look your way and connect with your gaze, your entire face lights up in a beautiful dimpled grin with raised eyebrows, and sparkling eyes that just radiate happiness.  If you aren't smiling fully, your face is a picture of amusement, as your eyes twinkle merrily...barely holding back the smile.  I can hardly put into words the feeling of joy that washes over me when I look at you.

You don't cry often, but when you do, your eyebrows knit together above big sad eyes accompanied first by a panicked squeal.  It's hard to ignore you then.

Absolutely everything is going in your mouth for chewing....your fists, dolly arms and legs, and most frequently your rubber giraffe Sofie.  Pretty much anything nearby is fair game! Yesterday, you were laying next to a 3 month old baby, rolled over and started chewing on his head!  Poor little guy couldn't even roll away.  Thankfully, you don't have any teeth yet!  But, I would imagine.....they're coming!

This month has had you rolling over with ease, nursing less, and eating larger and larger amounts of solid foods.  (And, I mean LARGE amounts.)  I've never had a baby that started out eating more than one of the 4oz baby food containers, but you can polish one off and still have your mouth open and ready for the next bite!

Feeding you is fun.  So far, we have mostly still fed you in your Bumbo chair, but now that you are sitting up, we'll be putting up the hanging high chair.  You lean forward and open your mouth....time and time again.  Every now and then, you get a wild hair and bounce back and forth in your chair.  Feeding you then becomes a game of timing and accuracy.  When fed by a big brother, only about half of the food ends up in your mouth!  And if you blow while eating, they laugh and laugh....and then you blow some more.  I actually had to say "No" to you the other day for the first time. And so it begins....

Speaking of your siblings, you couldn't be more loved by anyone.  You are treasured! I can't even count the number of times in each day they each ask to hold you, or I catch them lost in smiles and joy talking in their high pitched sing-song voices to you, singing to you, or playing peek-a-boo.  Anna Ruth just loves that you are now officially sharing a room, and she is so good about quietly sneaking into her bed when you are asleep already.  And, when you are downstairs in your little swing or bouncer, she likes to pile you high with dollies and teddy bears. You are surely a patient one!

The big news for the month is that you are now able to sit up alone!  We've seen this both times at a friends' house who has carpeted floors.  Since we have hard floors, we don't often just plop you down to sit, but just yesterday, on your seventh month birthday, you sat up for probably a minute.  Your typical let down is no longer simply jerking backwards and bonking your head (though I imagine that is still a possibility), but rather you lean farther and farther forward until you end up back on your tummy, where you wiggle and roll until you reach whatever object is of interest to you.

From your tummy, you high center yourself, kicking your strong legs and flapping your arms.  Soon, very soon, your little knees will be coming up underneath you, and you will begin to crawl.  I hope to be a few steps ahead of you and really baby proof the house!  It's funny how as a first time parent, these things are done long before baby arrives.  By the fourth child, these things are done one step ahead....barely!

While the bouncer and the swing are still around, time spent in them is less and less.  Often, when placed in either reclining position, you immediately strain forward as if doing a sit up, or arch your back and rock to the side as to roll out and away.  Occasionally, you even escape from your Bumbo seat!  But you still do love to bounce!  Therefore, if the mood is right, and you are placed in your bouncer, you will bounce like never before.  It is as if you are completely amused by it!  The jumping swing is another fun place for you to be, though Emet recently cut the strap with scissors....so not sure how long that one will be around.

You are moving into twelve month clothing.  How can that be?! You are so tall and beautiful.  Your hair is starting to lose the duck-fluffiness, and resemble real hair...though still very short and baby like.

Your voice is louder than ever before full of "boo", "aah", and "Hnnnn"..."Hmmm".  And your favorite thing to do is blow air through slightly parted lips.  You love it when we blow at you too.

You now have a new perspective from which to view and challenge the world.  No longer will you be reaching up to bat at things, but you will instead be reaching out, grabbing, pointing, and looking towards the horizon.  I guess this might be the first stage as a child that you begin to look away from the heavens.....and towards the horizon in front of you.  And, from where you are now, to where you will end, there are so many chances to get lost.  Be brave, little girl....be strong.  Keep your eye on the goal.  Don't wander from your path, getting lost and snared in the brush.
And, we will be right beside you the whole way....holding your hand, praying for you, and cheering you on.  Be blessed, little one.  Move forward, and be blessed.