Seven Months - Harrison

Dear Harrison,

This past month has been so exciting to watch you develop.  I love to sit and watch you explore.  I can see your little brain trying to figure things out.  It's neat to watch you move and manipulate things.  I'll sit you on the floor with some toys and you will look at something and go after it.  You've gotten very good at grabbing things.  Those things usually go straight into your mouth, which is to be expected.

However, there are certain things that you don't put in your mouth.  Want to know what that is?  Food. You don't put food in your mouth!  What is wrong with you?!?!  I have started trying to give you solids and you have hated basically everything that I've tried to give you.  Pureed squash, applesauce, pureed carrots, oatmeal, banana, strawberry, puffs, pickles, mashed potatoes, granola bar.  You have hated it all!  I have given you one thing that you have seemed to actually enjoy.  A peanut butter cracker.  Oh, and let's not forget about the small taste of whipped cream, that I thought was ice cream, that Daddy gave you at Rainforest Cafe.  You really liked that, of course.  How can you hate all foods?  You are so very interested when we eat and reach for us, as if you want a bite.  But, whenever I put the spoon near your mouth, you turn away and want nothing to do with it.  I'm going to keep trying and hope that you eventually start to like things.

You have started growling this month.  I think it's absolutely adorable.  It always makes me giggle because your sister did the same thing.  You also scream/screech a lot.  Occasionally, you'll make the "ma" sound, and it's usually done as you're whining.  I say "mama" to you a lot and try to get you to say it back, but you usually just grin at me.  Good enough!

You went on your first plane trip this month.  We flew to Houston to visit Daddy.  You were a pretty good traveler.  The descent hurt your ears, and you cried, but that's totally expected.  Once on the ground, you were fine.  You grew sick of being in your car seat while we were traveling.  I tried to keep you out, or wear you as much as I could.  You like it when I wear you now.

We have to talk about sleep, don't we?  I feel like we really haven't had any improvements in this area.  You wake up 2-3 times at night.  At your first wake up, I change you, because you're usually pretty wet.  If it's after 3 AM, I'll nurse you and you fall back to sleep.  If it's before, I just rock you back to sleep.  Then, you usually wake up again a couple hours later.  I nurse you again.  Depending on what time it is, sometimes you fall back to sleep, and sometimes you're up for the day.  Naps are still pretty consistent.  Occasionally there will be a small hiccup, but you usually get right back on track.  You nap somewhere around 9:30ish AM for maybe an hour or so.  Then, you nap again around 1:00ish PM for a couple of hours.  You no longer take a third nap, and because of that, you are typically pretty cranky long about 6:00 PM.  I try to keep you entertained until about 6:45 PM and start to get you ready for bed around then.  You're typically down to sleep by 7:30 PM.

You have also started to sleep on your side.  Sometimes, you even roll onto your belly.  You've slept on your belly twice for a few hours.  When you wake up though, you hate it, and let me know by screaming your head off until I come rescue you.  Buddy, you can flip back over.  I've seen you do it.  One night, you flopped your legs all around and managed to rotate in a complete 360* in your crib.

You definitely love your pacifier now.  You sleep with it, and have it in your mouth for a good portion of the day.  I have a love/hate relationship with it.  On one hand, it keeps you from squawking and complaining all the time, and it keeps the drool to a minimum, but on the other hand, it prevents you from talking as much, and I don't get to see your smile.  You have gotten good at picking it up from where it's hanging from your bib and putting it in your mouth.

I love that you have started to put your head down on my shoulder, almost as if you're giving me a hug.  Those sweet little moments make my heart burst with love.  I am so thankful for you and for all the joy and happiness that you bring.

Love you forever,
Mommy