7 Months (A little late)

This new cheeser grin is my favorite. Makes me giggle every time I see it!

Oh how we love that Buddha belly!

July 8, 2011

Sweet Cheekers -

I keep telling myself with each new phase you enter, that the last one was my favorite...but I really do think this is my favorite stage! You are just too much fun to have around.

Here’s a little of what things were like for you in your 7th month:

You are officially rolling over from back to front, and we’ve now witnessed it! You started doing this in your crib. I would lay you on your back, and go in and find you on your tummy. Now, if you’re on your tummy, you’re rolling everywhere!

You’re a crazy sleeper. It’s funny to see what positions and where you end up in your crib after you’ve been sleeping. I also always put a blanket over you before you go to sleep, and you kick and kick until you get it off your legs. You hate having your legs covered while sleeping.

Several people have mentioned this to us, and we’ve noticed it too, but you use your feet as hands. You’ll play with toys with them and use them to feel books during storytime. It’s quite hilarious. This is why we’ve started calling you our little monkey.

You can now put your paci back in by yourself! Hallelujah! We can give it to you in any position and you can get it in the right way. It’s quite the monumental occasion in our house.

You got sick for the first time. I guess I should be grateful that you made it all the way to 7 months without getting sick, but I was kind of a mess. You had a fever for several days, that always seemed to go away in the morning but come back in full force in the evening. You slept from 7PM to 7AM, which never happens and partly how we knew something was wrong. After a few days of the fever not going away, and one evening where it reached 103.5, I decided to take you to the doctor the next day. Well the doctor couldn’t find anything wrong with you the next day, and surprise! your fever had disappeared. I felt a little like an overly worried mother, but I was grateful nothing was seriously wrong. While we were there the doctor inspected you for everything: she checked your ears and even looked at your body to see if you had a rash. She told me about roseola: sometimes babies will have a fever for a few days that will eventually go away and then a rash will appear, but you didn’t have a rash. Well, within 24 hours you had developed a pretty ugly looking rash all over your torso and back. You had roseola! I wasn’t an overly worried mother, I knew something was wrong! Ha! Don’t worry, you got better in no time.

You are really taking to this whole food business. You love food and are getting so much better with textures. Things you wouldn’t eat before, you now love, like asparagus and lima beans. You tried some pulled pork the other day and begged for more!

You went on your first flight (x2)! We flew out to California/Utah to visit family. It was an adventure. You were pretty good, and didn’t scream or anything. You just hate being held when you’re trying to sleep, so it was a little rough when you got tired. Your mama was a stress case about the whole thing, but your dada was so calm! I hope you take after your dad in that respect.

You also went on your first trip to the beach. You didn’t love the water at first, but you got used to it eventually and started to squeal when it would touch your legs. You really wanted to eat the sand, so we had to keep you on the blanket. You had a good time, though. I’ll share more about our big vacation in your next letter.

We love you little Bug!

Love,

Mom & Dad

During your shoot, I couldn't get you to leave your bear alone. I would take it away, put it down really fast, try to distract you, and then this is what happened. Every. single. time.

6 Months

6/8/2011

Miss Addi,

6 months have never gone by so fast! Your larger-than-life personality, and (mostly) sweet disposition make life so fun for us. It is incredible to watch you grow and learn, which you seem to do so much of every single day.

This last month has been a big one for you:

At your 6 month check-up this morning, you were 17 lbs 6 oz (80th percentile), 26 inches (60th percentile), and 80th percentile for head circumference. The doctor was so pleased with how healthy, big, and strong you are!

We stopped swaddling you this month. You just started hating it and would fight it so much, that we had to just go cold turkey. It was a rough couple of nights, but I think you are enjoying sleeping more now that you are free. We tried to start you out with just one arm swaddled, but you always seemed to weasel out of it anyway, so we just took it away completely. You’re still not the best sleeper at night, waking up at least once to eat and sometimes more, but we’re getting there. The doctor said by 9 months she wants to see you going a 9-10 hour stretch at night, so it’s ok right now to wake up at 3 for a quick meal. Let’s listen to her, though, ok Bug? 5 AM sounds so much nicer than 3 =)

You continued to develop your vocal cords this month (aka yell like a banchee). You were yelling so much for a few days, that you made yourself hoarse. It was super funny and Mom and Dad laughed every time you tried to “talk” while you had lost your voice. Your voice has since returned, and you seem to be yelling a little less. You have started making a variety of sounds, though, which is so fun. And you have even started laughing more!

You started sitting up unassisted this month. Now, when you’re awake, this is the only position you want to be in. Forget tummy time (which you still hate, by the way), you’re all about sitting up. If you do have to be on your back, then your toes go right into your mouth. Cutest. thing. ever. I love it when you suck on your big toe, and often wonder if you do that because we don’t let you suck your thumb.

We are pretty sure you know your name now. You respond to “Addi” and “Addison” when Mom and Dad say it. I guess it could be our voices that you respond to, but you also responded to the photographer when she was trying to get your attention during your 6 month photo shoot.

You have started getting really excited when your Dada comes home from work. You’ll kick your legs and make all sorts of noises so he’ll pay attention to you. You love him to pieces. One day when Mama tried calling your dad, she put her phone on speaker, so that she could set the phone down and do something else. It went to his voicemail, and as soon as you heard his voice your face lit up and you smiled so big. It was super cute.

You are the best eater. You’ve tried all sorts of fruits and veggies this last month. Veggies are still your favorite, aside from asparagus and lima beans (I think it’s a texture thing). You are getting better with fruits, and you really love mango. You’re a little picky with your carrots, refusing the Gerber stuff and only eating homemade, but mostly you’ll eat whatever we give you. You’ve started getting so excited when we put you in your highchair to eat breakfast or dinner.

Whew! What a month! Thanks for being our sweetness, little Addi!

Love,

Mom & Dad

These two pictures (above and below) are to prove that you do indeed have a square face.

Finally!

We're all laughs over here lately. She hasn't really been a huge laugher. She's always smiling, but the laughing has taken a while. This little sound is music to our ears:

Laughs from Rebekah Byron on Vimeo.

*It always seems like the second I pull out the video camera, she stops doing whatever it is she was doing before. In the video above, she was laughing up a storm until I pulled out the camera. I was able to catch a little bit of it, though.

And:

Laughing from Rebekah Byron on Vimeo.

Isn't it incredible the things you will do to get your kid to laugh? We probably sound ridiculous in these videos, but hey, you gotta do what works.

Gag Me

Check out the gag reflex on this kid--the puff hadn't even made it to the back of her mouth yet.

Puffs from Rebekah Byron on Vimeo.

Hoarsey Hoarsey

Remember how I said that my child yells, about everything. Not only does she yell when she's mad, but she yells when she needs attention, is happy, or just to be heard. Over the last few days she has become hoarse. Is it bad that we laugh at this?

Hoarse from Rebekah Byron on Vimeo.

Bekah Turns 25

25 was low-key. We dropped off the kid at our friend's house for a few hours, and we ordered some delicious Outback. It was nice to eat at our house, in the peace and quiet, without having to worry about eating with one hand. This kid always seems to know when it's mealtime and refuses to be anywhere but our arms, so it was a nice treat!

Trouble

As in, I am in trouble. This little lady already has attitude.