seven months old.

Something about having this girl makes the months fly by.

She brings us so much joy.

I can't even get over her.

~

Carly, at seven months old you . . .

*are sleeping 10-12 hours a night. I'm enjoying it, though I don't expect it to last. Something will come up, I'm sure.

*have 2 teeth. The second came in the day after the first. You now have your two bottom front teeth. With the teeth has come the return of the out-of-control drool.

*are officially weaned . . . as of today. We made a remarkable recovery following your strike, but then the teeth showed up and the biting commenced. Now we are done.

*get three meals a day of solids. You have for more than a month now and we still struggle at every meal. You just couldn't care less about the food and turn your head away and purse your lips together. I'm at a loss, but we will keep going because we don't really have another choice.

*have been getting on your hands and knees and thinking about what the next step is. You have also started pulling yourself up on our legs and even on the coffee table. We are bracing for full mobility.

*are making more and more sounds. They are getting louder and there are a greater variety. Sometimes you make a sound and your daddy and I look at each other and say "What was that?!".

*like reading books and singing songs, though you like turning pages more than listening to the story.

*study toys rather than play with them. You study the little balls in your rattles and stare at the springy part of your doorway jumper. Its funny how often we find you carefully studying a toy and trying to figure it out rather than "playing" with it. You are obviously brilliant.

*have a big snuggly pet: daddy. We joke that you think of mommy as the parent and daddy as the pet because he plays with you and you grab his face and pet his beard and climb on him.

*make me smile when I'm down, make sense in a chaotic world, and complete our lives and our family (for now). We love you more than words.

Happy seven months, Car. We're glad you joined us.