Parker's 7-Month Update

Dear Parker,

Seven months was a really big month for you!  You are really starting to turn into a baby boy rather than just a baby!  You are so active.  You have finally figured out how to roll and know how to get from one toy to the next.  At daycare, they say you will just roll anywhere.  Can't figure out how to get that toy?  Never fear, I'll just roll to it!  You definitely roll at home, but I wouldn't say you roll from one end of the house to the other.  You know mom & dad will get you whatever you want, so you just let us know if you aren't happy or want a different toy.

Since you have figured out rolling, you earned your "I roll" tag at daycare and you now mostly sleep on your tummy.  We had a rough 3 weeks with you in December.  You caught a terrible cold and got two teeth all at the same time.  You were a terrible sleeper during those battles.  It broke mom's heart to see you in pain!  You traveled to Arkansas for New Years and you were a superb airplane passenger.  You just slept both ways.  However, I'm discovering that you are not a good sleeper in new locations.  I think you wake up and kind of get scared/confused at where you are.  It takes you a long time to fall back asleep when that happens.

You are such a good eater.  You love your solid foods.  You will pretty much eat anything if it has some fruit in it and you aren't picky about your fruits.  You just open your mouth up wide everytime a spoon gets near you.  It's adorable.  Mom has also started giving you some Baby Mum Mum's (rice cracker) and some Puffs.  You despise the texture of those items, but you love to try to get them to your mouth.  I think this has really improved some of your fine motor skills because it takes a lot of work to get a puff into your mouth.  Mom puts about six on your tray and you usually can get about 1 or 2 in your mouth.  But, once in your mouth you hate it.  You try to gag and get it out of your mouth. I'm hoping you move past this pretty soon so I can get you to eat some real food.  You spit out anything that has any texture to it so far.  We are also working on a sippy cup.  You *sometimes* get some water out of a sippy cup.  You at least like to play with it and bring it to your mouth.  You mostly just smile when you get it to your mouth.

You are still such a stander.  I got you a musical play table for Christmas and you could pretty much stand at that and dance to the music all day.  I love this.  Your little feet just go, go, go.  You will also walk behind your walker.  You haven't grasped the concept of turning or anything like that and you need extreme adult supervision... but you like it nonetheless.  Your little face is so serious when you are walking.  You also love to stand at the ottoman.  You prefer to play with mom's chapstick, the tv remote and the coasters more than any other toys.  Funny how that is.

You also had a very wonderful Christmas.  Your family spoiled you rotten!  You got so many toys, that we had to leave some of it behind in Arkansas for another trip.  You liked to play with the paper and the boxes.  You just say in my lap the whole time and watched your surroundings.  DD Nana got you a toy manger scene and you loved it the most, I think.  You liked being able to chew on everything and I think Baby Jesus was your favorite chew toy.  :-)

At 7 months you:

• Wear size 3 diapers.  But, are still finishing up the rest of the size 2 diapers we have first.
• Eat 5 5-6oz bottles a day, but you seem to be transitioning to 4 bottles a day.
• Eat at LEAST 4 oz of baby food in one sitting, 3-4x a day.
• Nap 2 to 3 times a day.  You usually only nap for about an hour to an hour and a half at a time.
• Starting to make more sounds and be more vocal in general.
• Love riding in your wagon and/or your trike (that the adult pushes).
• Have a tolerance for swinging in a swing.  I can't decide if you really like it because you don't smile, but you at least don't seem upset by it.  The forward swing motion seems to kind of scare you at first, but you will unclench your fists after about five minutes when you realize its okay.
• Are generally a happy baby.  But, if we don't let you stand/walk you are sure to let us know that is your preference.  You aren't interested in trying to crawl.  You are more interested in learning to climb so that you can stand.
• You will scoot backwards, but no forward motion yet.
• Refuse to walk inside your walker; you much prefer the walker you can push.
• Have friends at daycare and aren't afraid to take another baby's toys.  It's cute to see you interact with the other babies.  You guys will just sit and smile at each other.  I wish I could see you during the day!!  This one baby, Brooklyn, will cry if I come to pick you up.  She loves you and I think you love her, too!
• Moved up a class at daycare, so now you are in a class with crawlers!  You seem to have adjusted well, it's mom who still has work to do in that area.  I really loved your first set of teachers, Ms. Nairy and Ms. Hale.  It's taking some getting used to with the new ones.
• Becoming quite the car rider!  Mom is so proud!!  We have come such a long way with the car.  You will just sit in your carseat and look around until we make it home from work.  I love watching you back there just take in your surroundings.  You also like to fall asleep in the car, too.

You are such a big boy!  I can already tell that month eight is going to be a big month for you as well.  You got a helmet in month eight.. special post about that will come later.  Mom and dad love you baby boy, always and forever.

I'm so happy to be seven months old!

My first restaurant experience!

You love your DD Nana.. and she loves you!!

My cool trike that my Great Nana bought me.
Note: very dangerous should child fall asleep while riding.
Must stay close to house while riding.