Seven Months!

At seven months, Milo is like a different baby than he was at six months old. He's learned so much and can do so much, it's amazing.

At seven months, Milo can easily sit up on his own.

At seven months, Milo occasionally, nay, FREQUENTLY, sits up on his own when he meant to be sleeping, and cannot figure out how to lay back down.

At seven months, Milo does not like to lay down on the changing table and twists and turns Every. Single. Time. This makes it difficult to change his diapers. Distracting him with singing and being speedy are key.

At seven months, Milo can crawl. He doesn't like to show off, however, and only uses this skill to go a few feet when he spies something he'd really like to check out, like a dirty shoe or something pointy.

At seven months, Milo has been going to daycare for a full month. While he likes being there and watching and playing with the other babies, it's been a rough transition, to put it mildly.

At seven months, Milo no longer knows how to self-soothe.

At seven months, Milo no longer takes naps, really. Ten minutes here, twenty there... he's sleeping like a newborn. Sigh.

At seven months, Milo consistently wakes up at least once during the night to nurse, and sometimes wakes one or two (or three) other times and needs soothing before he can fall asleep.

At seven months, Milo hates to be set down. He'd much rather be carried around or be given lots of attention. This makes it difficult to do things like prepare meals or go to the bathroom.

At seven months, Milo is very sweet, and is often content to lay his head down on your shoulder (for a brief, brief moment, anyway).

At seven months, Milo has become a quick eater and finishes nursing in less than ten minutes. He used to drag it out over a half hour or more.

At seven months, Milo no longer needs the nipple shield to nurse. Can't remember if he was already over it at six months. Too bad I don't have a typed record of this somewhere. Oh, wait...

At seven months, Milo has eaten lots of solids, including rice cereal, peas, zucchini, sweet potatoes, avocado, and banana. At first he'd eat anything, dutifully opening his mouth at the appropriate times. After a couple weeks, he decided a didn't like to eat, and clamped his little toothless mouth shut. Just three days ago, we tried banana and he ate once again. Frankly, I can't say I blame the guy. I clamp my mouth shut for peas too, but who doesn't like bananas?

At seven months, Milo likes to eat ice water from a spoon.

At seven months, Milo's hair is growing longer, and it looks blondish brown. Go figure.

At seven months, Milo makes cute sounds, like buh buh buh, fffffp, puhpuhpuh.

At seven months, Milo still has no teeth.

At seven months, Milo does not have a lovey.

At seven months, Milo can pull himself up to standing if the conditions are right (meaning he has to be pretty close to something that is just the right height and has just the right things to grasp).

At seven months, we have lowered Milo's crib mattress by two notches.

At seven months, Milo loves bouncing, dancing with me or Andrew (or even better, both of us) in the kitchen, being sung to, banging things, putting things in his mouth, putting his hands on my lips and nose, being tossed in the air.

At seven months, Milo hates his high chair, being set down (evenings only), getting dressed, having his nose sucked out with the aspirator thingy.

At seven months, Milo has been sick for the last month, essentially. But I've pretty much covered that on this blog already.

At seven months, I am still having a rough time transitioning to being back at work. It's hard. H-A-R-D hard.

At seven months, I pump three times a day at work.

At seven months, I fit into my old favorite jeans, and I can wear my old size pants pretty consistently. I have a rounder belly than I used to, but I am only three pounds away from my pre-pregnancy weight.

At seven months, I'm always tired. I typically wake up at 5:45 or 6:00am and go-go-go nonstop until 8:30pm or so. I didn't know how much work was involved in getting Milo ready each day, and preparing for the next day. It's exhausting.

At seven months, time is flying by. I can't believe I've been back at work for a full month. My baby's going to be a year old before I know it.