Sepia Tone Loving: 7 Months Old

Dear Addison,

This has been one busy week for you and me. We are getting ready for Christmas AND for our first real family vacation, all happening on the same day. But, even though we've been busy, and I'm posting this late, I did not forget that you turned 7 months old on Monday.

It is so weird for me to remember this exact day last year because daddy and I were just getting our first ultrasound of you. I cannot ever explain to you how I felt when I got to see your little body and count your fingers and toes on that day. It was this day last year that we found out we were getting a daughter, and boy have we loved that you are our little girl.

So here's what you've been up to this past month. You've decided you like to sleep through the night, but only if you get to sleep in mommy and daddy's bed. I usually put you down for the night at 8pm and you will sleep until midnight, then you want a bottle. You're still only drinking a 5oz bottle, but if I feed you and put you back in your crib, you'll wake up at 2 and then again at 5 am before getting up for the day at 7:30am. If at midnight I put you in with us, and you share my pillow, you sleep until 8am. Most nights I keep putting you back in your crib, but lately I've been so busy and sick with a cold that I just let you snuggle.

You are teething right now and it is really hard for me to watch. I hate watching you in pain, and sometimes your little gums hurt so much that even your baby advil doesn't help. You chew constantly on your fingers, and anything else you can get near your mouth, and your cheeks are all chapped. You are starting to get a little drool rash around your chin, and have been spitting up quite a bit lately too. I can feel the little edges of teeth through the gums, so I hope they break free soon and you are no longer in pain.

You are doing really well at eating solid foods! So far you've tried sweet potatoes, butternut squash, peas, rice and oatmeal cereal, pears, bananas, applesauce and prunes. Your favorites are applesauce and prunes, and you hated the peas. You eat solids at breakfast and at dinner every day, and when I have time off with you, you get them for lunch too. You usually eat quite a bit and then still drink your bottle.

Your little personality is getting stronger every day. You are hilarious and you know it! You love to imitate your family members blowing raspberries, and fake coughing, and you have the cutest laugh. Your favorite things to do right now are to bounce in your jumperoo, play pat a cake, and pretty much anything involving your daddy. You are extra snuggly with your mama, but you love to play with your daddy. You are no longer afraid of uncle Ryan, but you now hate the bird tapestry that Grandma Phillips has in her hallway. You look at it and cry, or scowl. No one really knows why you hate it, but you will turn your head in its direction to scowl at it when we turn you away from it.

As far as milestones go, you made your first signs a couple weeks ago. You signed "more" and "milk" and although they weren't perfect, you did a very good job and both mama and daddy knew exactly what you meant. We practice signing every day, and you love the songs we know in sign language.

Tomorrow is Christmas eve, and I cannot tell you how excited your daddy and I am to celebrate our first Christmas together as a family. We can't wait to see you open your presents, and we even got you your own vegetable and turkey dinner. I am anxious about our plane ride in the afternoon, because I am afraid your ears are going to pop and you'll cry the whole time, but I am trying to think positively that everything will go smoothly and you will sleep.

Well baby girl, I'd better go for now, you are awake from your nap and want to play. Here are some pictures of you this month, my beautiful 7 month old baby girl.

Investigating mashed potatoes at your great grandfather Phillips house