Wife hat, Mom hat.: Seven Months

Wowzers... it's that time again! Belle is seven months old today! I was so caught up on her being six months that this one really crept up on me! With every passing month, we just love her more and more! She's a keeper.

{click the picture to make it larger-- worth it!}

Dear Belle,

As always, you are just so darn cute... and you know it too. Of course, I love it that people think you are just oh-so-adorable, but it really makes my outings take longer. Sometimes it seems that every single person we come across has to ooh and aah over you! I guess it's just the price I pay for procreating cute babies.

You have got a *ton* of personality these days. You like to play with toys, crawl around the house, and play with Jackson. You are capable of expressing your mood, and you do- whether its a delightful squeals or I'm-just-not-happy-about-this cries. When you do make your super upset cry, you make the most pitiful little face and it's hard not to chuckle.

You're still sleeping through the nights most of the time. We really appreciate that! You sleep on your stomach and always with a stuffed animal {two major no no's, but we do it anyway}. You have a definite preference to sleeping in your crib. When we are at home, you'll take three naps a day. If not, you just take several short cat naps and you're kind of cranky.

You're wearing size 2 diapers these days and mostly 6 months clothes, but really, it's basically whatever we have that fits the temperature outside. You wear a little Mizzou onesie that's a three month size and since it's been cold, you've been wearing nine month clothes. Whatever it is though, you always look cute.

You can be kind of finicky with eating. Some days, you won't hardly eat anything and other days you can't stop eating. Sometimes you want only baby food and nothing to do with the bottle and other days you refuse to eat baby food. I am the only person who can really get you to eat baby food-- you're kind of a pickle when other people try to feed you! You make it very obvious when you don't want to eat-- you wait until the spoon is at your face and then you spit. And it leaves me covered in green beans, mango, or whatever. Not cool. You like to eat the little biter biscuits and it's so cool to see your little hands pick it up and get it in your mouth!

You've become an expert crawler. You get yourself through the entire house. It's still an army crawl, but that's not slowing you down at all. You've started to get up on all fours, but when you try to move your legs, it sends your face right to the ground. Kinda funny. You can almost get yourself to the sitting position from being on the ground. And your favorite position is what we call the playboy pose {but that is in NO way, shape, or form approving of a similar future}. You like to pause in the midst of rolling from front to back, and you just chill out, leaning back on one elbow. I tried to get a picture today, but was unsuccessful. Clearly it's something you only like to do when it's your idea. I will capture that shot soon.

I really think that Jackson is your favorite toy. You just love it when he will pay attention to you. It's been really fun watching you two "play" together. He will crawl really slow and you will take off after him and he likes to get down and make funny faces at you while you squeal happily. Jackson likes to hold you and when you wave your arms every-which-way, he thinks you're "getting" him and he cracks up. I can't wait for you guys to grow up and be great friends. No fighting. Ever. Mkay?

You've got that daddy guy wrapped around you're little chubby fingers. He loves coming home to your happy welcome and you get all excited to see him come home! Daddy is an expert at getting you to laugh and it's the sweetest sound ever. We are just so thrilled to have you {even your super wiggly, eager to move tenancies!} and we love you bunches and bunches. Love, Mommy and Daddy.

You started playing on the big kid tunnels at the park. Notice that little tongue sticking out-- it is *always* out.

Aunt Laura gave you a little pedicure this month. You loved it! Pink toes are the best.

And here are some outtakes-- these monthly pictures are getting harder and harder to take! She's wiggly, she's crawling, and she's tired because I have to take so many stinkin' pictures becuase she just WON'T HOLD STILL!