In the last week of your sixth month, you really mastered rolling but during the first two weeks of this month, you took it to another level. It was your primary mode of transportation and you used it to propel yourself anywhere you wanted to go. You still moved more backward than forward but you loved to end up across the room from where you were left. You slowly started to learn to move in a more forward direction and even started to push up onto your knees and rock. You've only made lunging motions that can't really be described as crawling but you're getting really close. We can't leave you alone in a room anymore for more than a couple of seconds. One day you somehow backwards wedged yourself under the recliner, which made you extremely mad when you couldn't figure out how to get back out.
Your sleep habits were rough at the beginning of the month, with your shots and daylight savings "fall back" happening on the same weekend. I think you also hit a growth spurt because you woke up screaming to eat on a couple of occasions and I can't remember the last time that happened! We worked really hard on your naps and for the most part, bedtime was easy and pleasant. We'd put you down in your crib, you'd roll around for awhile and eventually settle on a position and fall asleep. We rarely heard a peep!
There is a first time for everything and there was your first sick baby visit this month. You caught some type of cold and were really congested. Because of that, you wound up with an ear infection. You were totally fine until your afternoon nap. You kept crying out and I'd go in to get you and you were sleeping. When you finally woke up you were really fussy. Mimsy was over at our house for dinner and we took your temperature and it was 101.8. I called the pediatrician and they fit us in right away. You did 10 days of the bubble gum pink amoxicillin and were pretty much good as new after 24 hours of antibiotics. The night you were sick was awful. You woke up crying at 1:30 a.m. and were upset for a good hour and a half of pretty hard crying. We felt awful for you because you had to have been in some pain. We'd given you yogurt before but we started offering it at basically every meal because the doctor said it would be good for your tummy on the medicine. You are obsessed with Greek yogurt and would probably never stop eating it, we usually have to quit giving it to you when we are ready for meal time to be over.
You started swimming lessons this month! I signed you up for a mini session at Lake Highlands YMCA. It's a parent child class and due to the holidays, you are the only kid in your class. It means you get lots of one-on-one attention from your sweet teacher and we have a blast. She puts lots of little toys in the water and you "swim" to go get them. You even slide down the slide and go underwater each class. You love all 30 minutes of it!
We also celebrated your first Thanksgiving! It was awesome and you loved it. We left town right after your first swimming lesson on a Monday night and drove down to Round Rock. We stayed in a hotel there (another first!) so that Daddy could go to a meeting the next morning before we finished the trip. The hotel was an adventure in poop (yours and the doggies) and I don't think I'll be heading to another hotel with you and the dogs anytime soon. It was kind of crazy. We got to San Antonio on Tuesday and you got to spend time with Great Grandpa, Aunt SheShe, Uncle Dave, Alli Rae, Uncle Champ and Auntie Mac before they all left town themselves. We had about 40 people over to Grandpa River and Grandma Bean's house for the actual meal. It was so fun and everyone loved meeting you. Not surprisingly, you loved the Thanksgiving food. You even participated in Black Friday with Grandma Bean and your Aunt Kasey and I. We went to La Cantera and hit a couple of sales and had lunch together.
When it comes to food, you mostly eat at least 2 meals a day. You've made a lot of strides since 6 months when it comes to actually ingesting things. At this point, broccoli and yogurt are your two favorite foods but you will try just about anything. We gave you a dill pickle once because I thought you would make a funny face. Turns out you loved it! You still do not get that excited about sweet things when we've let you have a taste.
Overall, we've settled into a very comfortable routine. You usually take 2-3 naps a day. You have a playgroup on Thursdays and spend some time at Child Watch at the YMCA during my classes on Monday-Wednesday. You usually go to the church nursery on Sundays. Everyone that watches you says how good you are and you are always smiling and having fun when we go to pick you up. We love who you are becoming and hope you keep this jovial personality as you continue to grow.
Love,
Mommy
(7 month outtakes)
Stats and Milestones:
Height and Weight: about 29 inches, between 23 and 24 lbs (measured at home)
Diaper Size: size 4
Clothing Size: 12 and 18 month (mostly 18s)
First swimming lesson: 11/25
First night in a hotel (La Quinta Round Rock): 11/25-26
First sick pediatrician visit: 11/20
First Thanksgiving: 11/28
You sleep from around 7-7 every night. We had a few night feedings during your growth spurt. You are still drinking around 32-40 oz. a day and eating two meals and sometimes a snack.
You usually take two naps a day unless you fall asleep in the car, in which case you have two and a cat nap. The naps are generally about an hour but occasionally you will sleep for longer.
You are starting to figure out locomotion and moving around on your own!
Nicknames: Owen Bear, Mr. Bear, Beary-Boo, Mr. O, The Baby, Beary
Things you love: food- especially broccoli and yogurt, your family (especially when Daddy gets home at night), being upright in your Exersaucer, the basket that holds all of your toys (and dumping it out), your doggie brothers
Things you don't love: diaper changes, being hungry, getting in the car seat or stroller when you don't really feel like being strapped down
