James: Seven Months!

Seven months. This is exactly why I have a problem when babies turn six months old. Every single month after that sounds SO old. It was hard for me to just type the word seven. Pretty soon you will be turning one and I will be in such denial about having another toddler on my hands rather than a baby. Why must little ones grow up so fast?

This has been another big milestone month for James. For starters, he officially learned how to sit unassisted. This is always a big step for me, because he goes from being a little babe who can only lay on the floor, to looking like such a big boy sitting up. He has even gotten into the sitting position by himself when laying on the floor. It has only happened once, but he still can prop himself up on his side and I think he will do it more consistently soon. James has also officially mastered the army crawl this month. Although for him it is more like an army pull. He manages to pull his whole body with both of his arms. This boy is getting quite good at the army crawl. He is fast! In the morning I put him in the living room so he can play while I get his big brother breakfast in the kitchen. It is only a matter of minutes until I see a little head pop around the corner and come crawling into the kitchen. It is so cute. I also place him in his brother's room, where there are lots of toys for him to play with whenever we are busy upstairs (changing brother, brushing teeth, etc.) Well, little James doesn't like to just stay in the room anymore, he quickly crawls into the hallway or the bathroom. He can get up on all fours, and pretty soon he is going to be full out crawling... and then I am going to be in big trouble with two mobile boys!

Eat
James nurses 4 times a day, plus one- two 'meals' and nurses once at night. He is still getting use to solid food. It seems like he is not the biggest fan, and most of the time the food end up on him, rather than in him. He moved on from trying vegetables to having fruit and some grains. With the brown rice, I mixed in some milk (not cow's milk, don't worry!) and he seemed to eat that a lot better than anything else. I'm not sure if the familiar taste made it more appetizing to him. I am still making all of his food at home right now. My pediatrician recommended this website, wholesomebabyfood.com, and it has been fan.tas.tic! It does seem that James has had some type of reaction to apples, so we are staying away from those right now until we get it officially checked out by the doctor. A cute little story of him eating: One day I was giving him applesauce and after each bite he would get this really sour look on his face. I said to him, "Are these apples more sour than the banana yesterday?" And right away his response was, "Yeah!" I know that he actually does not know that word and that it was pure coincidence that he made that noise at that exact moment, but it just took me back and I started laughing.

New foods this month: avocado, sweet potato, butternut squash, bananas, apples, pears, peaches, brown rice, puffs (not. a fan.)

Sleep
James' sleep has been a little mixed up and unpredictable this past month. At the beginning of the month, he cut his second tooth, so he was waking up more. Then the poor little babe got a cold for about 2 weeks in the middle of the month and was waking up more then too. It also seems like he might be teething with his two top teeth, although they have not cut through yet. Ever since he was sick, he's sleep has been a little out of whack. He has been waking up more at night, been a little bit more difficult going back to sleep when waking up at night, and waking up early. I hope it's the teething or we might need an intervention soon. I miss the days of him sleeping until 7:00/ 7:30. His big brother wakes up at 6:30 on the dot pretty much every day, so I'm not sure if he gets awoken by all the doors closing. Then it seems like when one decides to 'sleep in' until 7:30, the other is up at 6:00. Is it kind of sad that I view 7:30 as sleeping in now?

He is still taking two naps a day. When he was sick he was boycotting his naps, so that was a lot of fun, but now he is back to two. Although since his boycott, his morning nap has shortened to 1 - 1 1/2 hours and not the 2 hours that he was doing. I'm still trying to find the best time to put him down for his afternoon nap. It is usually between 1:00- 2:00, and as much as I try to have the boys' naps align, they really don't. I put them down at the same time, but Zach has been taking longer to fall asleep, so by the time he falls asleep, James is awake, thus making 0 break/ alone time for me during the day :( One day it will happen.

Play
Since James is in full-out army crawling mode, it is so fun to see what things he actually wants, since he can crawl and get them. His current favorite things are cords- cable modem cords in the living room, fan cords, computer cords. I am constantly picking him up, moving him away, only for him to be back at them in a couple minutes. He really enjoys his big brother's toys, matchbox cars, little tool set, firetruck, play food. He still enjoys his bouncer. He loves water and playing in the baby pool or the bath tub.

He is really such a happy and content kiddo and will play with whatever he can find. It is fun now that he can sit up, to see him playing side by side to his brother or seeing him crawl to what he wants! He definitely tries to keep up with his big bro and I will see him chasing after Zach or going to whatever toy he is playing with. 

Likes: Being outside, water (pool, bath), playing with big brother's toys, wires, snake stuffed animal that rattles, crawling everywhere, daddy, Zach
Dislikes: Being tired, being hungry, and he doesn't seem to be the biggest fan of food...

Size:
Weight: 20 lbs. 5 oz. [estimate- according to bathroom scale]
Height: 28.5 inches [estimate]
Diapers: Size 3
Clothing: Tops: 6-12 month/ 9 month, bottoms: 6-12 month/ 9 month, pajamas: 9 month (although he poked holes in the feet) so moving up to 12 month?!?
Nicknames: Jamesy, Jamesy-Boy, Little Love Bug

Milestones:
Second tooth: Bottom right incisor [7.11.15]
Sitting unassisted [7.15.15]
Get into sitting position from belly by self [7.30.15]- although you've only done it that once!
Army crawling
Getting up on all fours

Note from Mom:
James, you continue to just grow and grow and each day is a new adventure for you! One of my favorite things about you this past month is your army crawling. I think it is so cute to see  your little head pop around the corner of the kitchen or out of a bedroom. You make this little grunting noise when you start off and kick your little legs and flail your arms. When I love most though is how you come find me. Sometimes when you are crawling, I walk past you just thinking you're roaming around, put you start crawling after me. Or if I am sitting in a chair or standing, you crawl up to me, and start batting at my ankles, telling me you want to be held. I love it!

I love your smile and your belly laugh. I love walking into your room after you wake up and seeing you flail your arms and legs in excitement to see me. I love seeing you completely light up when your dad comes home and how you give him the biggest belly laugh. You are so special to us. We love you, little boy!

Seven Month Pictures: