soft like a hug: Seven Month Update

This month was a fun one. I perfected sitting up, figured out how to crawl, and started solids!

Developments:
I'm officially mobile! It didn't take long for me to figure out how to crawl, although it's more like a scoot. Either way, I can now get to wherever I want pretty quickly, which is usually the dustiest, dirtiest corners of the house. Mommy spends a lot of time picking me up and re-positioning me. I've also gotten really good at moving from a sitting position to crawling and back again to sitting. Life is getting easier (at least for me)!

Eating:
Starting solids has been...extremely messy. As soon as I see the spoon coming near my face, all I want to do is grab it and I end up with a fistful of food. In addition to purees, we're also trying some baby-led weaning. At first I was given foods like whole bananas and baked sweet potato fries, but it turned out to be just as messy as spoon-feeding, if not more. So we started using this silicone feeder and I use it at practically every meal now. I love being able to feed myself, and Mommy and Daddy like that the food is kept contained. My first foods have included avocado, bananas, sweet potato, carrots, butternut squash, peaches, and pears, as well as Mum-mums. My favorites are bananas and carrots.

One downside to starting solids has been the constipation. Not that you want to hear about poop, but I used to have a bowel movement daily. Now I go four or five days without having one!

Sleep:
Not much progress since last month. I still have at least two night wakings which are quickly answered with a feeding so as not to wake Kaitlyn up. Mommy and Daddy moved me to the Pack n' Play in the den for a week with the intention of sleep training me. It worked for a couple of nights, but as soon as I moved back to the bedroom, I was waking up again.

My preferred sleeping position.

Activities:
I started Music Together classes this month at the Burlingame Rec Center. It's a mixed ages class (0-4 yrs), so Kaitlyn gets to come too. She loves being able to go to class with me and I really enjoy the stimulating environment. Most of the instruments go straight into my mouth, but I still like hearing and watching everything that goes on around me.

Big sis showing me how to play the drum.

Teeth:

Am I teething or am I not teething, who knows? We haven't seen any teeth yet, but I drool like crazy and gum everything I can get my hands on. I have a feeling we'll see one soon...

Disposition:

I'm a relatively happy baby and can put on a good show for strangers by flashing them with a huge grin. However I can also be very unpleasant when I don't have my way. There are times when I'm just plain fussy and want nothing but to be held by Mommy. This month I've also started to show signs of separation and stranger anxiety, and cry whenever Mommy leaves the room. Twice at the gym they've had to get Mommy mid-workout to come and get me because I was crying and screaming so loud I was scaring the other kids. Mommy felt bad so we haven't been going to the gym as often lately.