7 months

Happy 7 months! You're hitting some milestones physically and socially. Not only are you crawling, but you're starting to pull yourself up. You haven't mastered pulling up on stationary objects - you still sit too far away from them and try to reach so you can't get your feet under as well. You do pull yourself up well when you go to a person.

You greet me when I pick you up from daycare and greet dad when he gets home from work. If we're downstairs and you hear dad upstairs, you'll crawl to the doorway and look up the stairs for him. You are starting to fall asleep on your own a bit. If you don't fall asleep while nursing, or if you do and I jostle you too much putting you in your bed, you'll roll onto your side, grip your giraffe and stroke its neck, and as long as we rub your back you'll fall asleep in 15 minutes or so. I'm hoping this is a good sign and within a month or so we can just lay you down in your bed to nap or sleep. (This would also make me feel vindicated against all the people who said, "Don't bring her into bed with you. You'll start a habit.")

You are well-conditioned to the camera. When we pull it out and you hear the click you turn and look and smile. You're such a ham! You are also all about talking to people on the phone. If we put the caller on speaker phone (usually Nana, Grandma, or Dad), you'll start to talk back to them. You were very talkative with Grandpa today. He wasn't home because he was helping Uncle TJ find a place in Ohio.

Last night was the second time you slept away from your own bed and the first time you let someone else put you to sleep and the first time you slept in the pack n' play. Michelle and Phil's wedding reception was last night, so Nana got to watch you. I was worried, expecting to have to go back and put you down for the night. Your dad called to check on you around 9. Nana said you cried for about 15 minutes but then she just started rubbing your back and you fell asleep. I was SO proud and happy (and relieved).

You're also starting to go to more people besides your dad and me. Memorial Day you went to Hobie and Liz. That was the second time you went to Liz. There's something about her you like and are comfortable with. Today we had some graduation parties to go to. You went to Shawn and Emily (who you're used to from daycare) and to Marina, one of my former students. Everyone thought you were adorable and there were lots of comments on your big blue eyes. (I'll take credit for those!) All the books and webistes say babies get stranger anxiety between 6 and 12 months of age. Uncle Mark said you could differentiate between people at 4 months, which was early. Maybe you hit that early and now you'll start being more social. It would be great to watch you play with other people.