Nick Names: Smoosh Face, baby
Height: 29+ inches (Estimated because no doctor's appointment)
Weight: 20+ pounds (Estimated)
Head: Getting rounder
Special Outings: 4th of July Carnival, Party in Cohasset
Visitors: Richards, Cousin Benjamin (technically we went to see him)
Loves: Splashing in the tub, food, playing with his brother
Hates: Being tired, not being in the center of everything, hitting his head on things
I knew it was coming.. in my head you were 6 months, but 7 was coming soon. Still, when Tom mentioned this morning that we should have taken the month pictures this past weekend, I was floored. 7 months today? Already? HOW?
I guess that means I’m not counting down days anymore to when things will get easier, because we’re here. We’ve got a schedule and a rhythm and although we are tired and busy, it’s more fun than not. You’re happy more often than not. You’re sleeping at night, and even most days at daycare. Which, by the way - DAYCARE. You started this month and you’re rocking it. It was so easy I almost forgot you haven’t been there that long.
You like the people there, you like the toys and entertainment. The reports I get aren’t that long because there’s not much to it. You ate, you slept, you were happy. You get sad when other babies cry, but your brother still cries when you cry, so I think I’ve just got some empathic kids, and I’m okay with that.
I think you’re pretty happy with this age too, because you’ve kind of plateaued in a way where you’re not trying to learn new things. You can sit and throw yourself around a bit, so you don’t seem too worried that you can’t crawl. You’ve figured out how to eat/swallow almost any food, so you’re not as concerned that your hands still don’t always get the food in your mouth and you have to ask for help. I’m sure that when you get bored and are ready for something new, you’ll just take off.
You’re super obsessed with your brother, and the two of you are finding ways to play together. The other night E would lean in close to your head and you’d reach out your hand and steal the pacifier from his mouth. And then he’d feign shock and outrage, you’d laugh, and he’d laugh and put it in his mouth for you to steal again. It was nice payback for when he used to steal yours when you were younger. Now instead he’ll run to your crib and grab a pink one (because you two have to have matching ones) and bring it to you to have.
I think you’re starting to have a bit of separation anxiety, but not in the way I’d expect. You don’t actually need us close, you just need to be able to see someone. As long as you know where we are and can check on us occasionally, you’re pretty content to play on your own (aka shoving things in your mouth).
And finally, I’ll possibly jinx us and say it: I think you might be teething. I know, I KNOW. My mom did this, only to have my first tooth come at 11 months. We did this with your brother and his came at 14 months. But I swear I saw a white spot on your gums. So we’ll see. I swear if I spend my summer vacation two years in a row with a child getting their FIRST tooth, I’ll go insane.
I can’t decide if the past 6 months have gone quickly or not. Sometimes it felt like a never ending slog that we were sleepwalking through, but on the other hand I swear we just celebrated F’s first birthday. Either way, we have an official 18 month old on our hands. And thanks to a sleep consultant, we are back on track with sleep and everyone is feeling more like themselves lately. F is back to sleeping and happily chatting in her crib, and it feels like at least one layer of stress has evaporated.
F remains the happiest Spearson, excited to be a part of things, and loves it when we go somewhere. She mostly gets mad when we try to remind her she’s a baby and can’t always do the same things that the older two can. Oh how quickly she’s going to demand equal treatment though. Already she fights back if someone tries to push her away.