Grady at Seven Months

We have a seven-month-old in the house! Every tendency Grady had before is still manifested, only more so. He loves to laugh and babble and is becoming such a little ham. (See this video!) And he's the proud owner of two very sharp bottom teeth.

Size: Haven't weighed him in a while, but I think he was a little over 18 pounds last we checked. Clothing sizes are right on track; he's in 6-9 months for most outfits.

Personality: Exploratory. Adventurous. Curious. Gregarious. He loves to pull my hair (see middle left photo), take apart his play mat (bottom left), pet the dog and bunny, yell, give open-mouth"kisses" on mommy's cheek (and then laugh!), and interact with new people. He squeals and kicks his legs wildly when excited. It doesn't take much to excite him!

Talking: Last week he said "buh, buh, buh, buh" for two days straight. He even woke up in the night saying it! He definitely gets on little kicks of repeating the same syllables.

We thought he was loud before? Ha! The noise has been amplified times ten. The other day Mike pulled up for lunch and heard Mr. G when he was still outside in his car.

Eating: Woah, baby. Food consumption has really taken off this past month as well. He has explored a variety foods now: avocado, asparagus, cucumber, banana, pear, spaghetti, lettuce, rice cakes, carrots, peppers, egg yolks, potatoes, cheese sticks, and pea pods, just to name a few. He is also learning how to put a pre-filled spoon in his mouth. Grady loves to sit at the table with us and eat what we're eating.

Moving: He'd still jump half the day if we would let him. He's starting to slightly push himself forward with his legs while lying on his tummy. He is very adept with his hands and can quickly grab things (diaper genie, lamp, plate) and swipe them right to the floor. He also likes to play a little game of "tetherball," where he bats at a ball tied to a chair and tries to make contact with it again as it swings past him. Sitting is old stuff, although he takes the occasional tumble when he lunges at a desired object and forgets what his capabilities are.

The swing and bouncy seat are a thing of the past. I can't believe how many things he's now too big for! Brings a tear to Mommy's eye...

Favorite activities: Playing his xylophone (this entertains him for a surprisingly long time), hiking in the Ergo (we figured out the back hold this month), seeing Daddy walk in the front door after work, dismantling the play mat, sitting on the potty, reading books, playing tickle games, listening to singing, hearing Daddy play violin and guitar, pulling Kasha's fur and Mommy's hair, seeing friends at ECFE and playdates, popping bubbles, taking baths, whapping objects with an open hand, making noise, grabbing everything within reach, gazing into mirrors, watching videos of himself (do we have a little narcissist on our hands?), going sledding, and playing with stuffed animals in his crib.

Least-favorite activities: About the only time he's fussy is when he's tired or teething. Hats and carseats don't bother him much anymore.

Sleeping: Drumroll, please. He now naps! In my opinion, this is one of the past month's biggest accomplishments. He usually takes a morning nap and an afternoon nap (or two). I'm not doing anything differently...something finally just clicked!

Nighttime sleep is pretty good. He wakes two or three times to briefly nurse and then goes right back to sleep. Nothing to complain about in my book.  

We are enjoying this stage of Grady's babyhood so much. He is still such a snugglebug, but also understands and interacts so much. If life had a pause button, I'd push it and enjoy this stage for a while longer!