Seven Months

Dear Ethan,

I cannot fathom how it could possibly have been seven months ago that you changed our lives forever. You can't possibly already be seven months old! And yet here you are, crawling, with teeth, eating solids like a champ, and ready to explore the world. Perhaps I'm just in disbelief because you've been sleeping like a newborn again (OK, not quite, but you are refusing to go back in your crib at least once a night, leading to a great deal of frustration and sleep deprivation for your mommy). Despite this, I grow more in love with you every day, and I cannot imagine our lives without you.

This has been an eventful month indeed in terms of milestones! First teeth. Crawling. Pulling up. Expanding your palate (your new favorites are yogurt, pear, and apple). You've found your first "fort" in the form of our coffee table. You still refuse to work on your consonants as much as you used to, but you laugh with delight when we babble on about "ba ba" and "boo" in an effort to refresh your memory. You also seem to be understanding more about object permanence and, with it, separation anxiety. You're a smart little guy, and you make connections that astonish me, such as mommy's backpack = mommy leaving or being strapped in = carseat and being unable to reach mommy. While the ensuing cries are heartbreaking, the brainpower behind them is impressive! Tomorrow is Mommy's last class until August, though, so hopefully we'll have a bit of a respite from your panic, at least during the day.

The next month will be full of cuddles, snuggles, laughter, and playtime since Mommy's attention will no longer be divided by school after the beginning of May. By then, we'll hopefully finally have the house babyproofed so you can have full reign. You'll probably get some more teeth, and hopefully you'll be a better sleeper than you have been lately. There will be new tastes at mealtime, and new sights as we continue to explore the springtime world outside. It will be your first Easter and Mommy's first Mother's Day with an outside baby.

I've always said that my favorite time of infancy is 6-9 months, and here you are right in the thick of it. Every day is a new adventure, and I never know what you're going to get into next. You're full of surprises, Ethan, and I can't wait to see what lies ahead of you. Just know that your mommy and daddy will be there every step of the way.

Love,
Mommy