Linnea is 7 Months Old!

Linnea,
The days keep zooming by and we are still so thankful for you.  This month you started eating solid foods and sitting up like a champ, which makes you seem so old but I'm thankful for each milestone.  Here is what you've been up to this month:

 Why do you have such a big smile?

Peek-a-boo with Mama though the handle of the box :).

Stats
You got your 6 month shots at the beginning of this month including a flu shot.  You cried but just for a minute or so.  The nurse said I could nurse you for comfort if I needed to but you don't ever nurse for comfort.  It just isn't your thing.  Sometimes I wish you were more snuggly but I also think that you are a great sleeper because you like to fall asleep on your own instead of in my arms which is also really nice most of the time.  Guess I can't have it both ways.

You didn't have a well baby checkup this month for them to weigh you but we tried weighing you at home and you were about 15 lbs.  You are starting to get a little belly on you from all the food you've been eating this month.  Way to go!  You might be a little bit longer but still right around 26.5 inches long.

 You are starting to get a belly!

 That tongue.

You found the camera strap but your dad found your cute hands!

Eating
Eating has been the most exciting change this month.  You had solid food for the first time on your 6 month birthday.  You have been a champ at trying new foods.  So far you've had sweet potatoes, squash, carrots, green beans, peas, apples with butternut squash, garden vegetable medley (carrots, peas, spinach), mixed veggies (peas, carrots and sweet potatoes), avocado, prunes, apples, pears, bananas, peaches, chicken and apples and two licks of peanut butter.  The only thing you haven't like are avocados.  We've tried them three times now and the third time we even mixed them with something else and you managed to eat the other thing and spit the avocados out.

I've been asked several times if I'm making your baby food or buying it and for some reason that question doesn't sit well with me.  I kind of feel judged if I say I'm buying it because I feel like people think if I'm staying home with you I should have plenty of time to make your baby food.  Which is probably true but I don't like cooking.  I make dinner for us every night and I really don't want to add baby food to the list of things I have to make.  Maybe I will at some point but for right now you get store bought baby food that has only the fruit or veggie and water as ingredients and that is just fine by me :).

We bought you a high chair from Ikea.  It is simple, all plastic, the legs come off so you can store it easily and it was $20.  The white inflatable thing behind you is a cushion that you can get at Ikea to help you sit in the chair a little easier until you get bigger.  It works great!

You were pretty iffy about water at the beginning but now you'll drink about an ounce during your meals.  You are still using a bottle nipple but we've tried sippy cup tops a few times and you aren't so sure about those yet.

The shudder you do reminds your dad of the one I do after drinking something with alcohol in it.

We need to be careful because you are able to grab more than we realize.  The place mat and two glass bowls were on the table and when I looked over you had pulled them onto your high chair which was pretty impressive considering you didn't drop them.

We haven't done cereal yet because the doctor said it doesn't have much taste or nutritional value and it typically just stops babies up so we just skipped it.  I'm sure we will introduce it at some point but not yet.  I think it helped that we waited until you were 6 months old to eat because you were very ready.  You didn't tongue thrust any food out at all.

I know I make funny faces with my mouth while feeding her.  I can't help it!

You love playing with the back of whatever chair I'm sitting in.  It is so fascinating.

At first you tried to help feed yourself but after talking to your Grandma (my mom) she suggested I not let you do that because it will get really messy.  So I started telling you that I would feed you and not letting you grab the spoon.  After doing that a few times you've pretty much stopped grabbing the spoon.  Now you hold onto the sides of your high chair tray and lunge towards the spoon.

You started off eating one tablespoon of food around 5:30 or 6 everyday.  We did that for a while and then switched you to eating during our lunch time since we usually eat dinner later than 5:30 or 6.  Now you eat about 4 tablespoons at lunch and 3-4 tablespoons at dinner.  We haven't really seen many full signs from you yet and you tend to dive towards the spoon as it is coming close to your face.

You've had the food at room temperature, heated up and straight from the fridge.  We like to give it to you at different temperatures so you don't always have to have it the same way.

You ate your first meal out when your Grandparents were here. We had K-Machos for dinner and you did great eating and then watching all the action while we ate.  We took your inflatable cushion to the restaurant and it helped the big high chair seem less overwhelming.

Your dad and I have been taking turns feeding you lunch and dinner that way we can eat one meal without having to stop to feed you.

(Skip this paragraph if you don't like reading about dirty diapers.)  Now that you've been eating more solid foods you have more solid diapers.  After your dad changed your first dirty diaper after eating solid foods . . . he asked when we could potty train you.  Ha!  I don't think it is that bad plus it isn't as runny as it was before so it hasn't been leaking out of your diaper and onto your clothes which is a bonus!

Sleeping
You are still sleeping 12 hours at night, consistently.  Some nights you have a party in your crib where you talk to yourself but you don't cry for us.  Some times your parties are 15 minutes and one night it was over an hour long.

The main thing that changed this month was we stopped using your breathing monitor.  We were getting too many false alarms now that you are sleeping on your belly.  It went off twice in the middle of the night and it is hard to fall back to sleep after that.  I sometimes still put it on you after we've given you a new food at lunch but most of the time you sleep without it.

You've been sleeping in sleep sacks (also called a wearable blanket) this month so you are officially no longer swaddled.  The last month or two you've been sleeping with your arms out but you still had pressure around your midsection from the swaddle but now you don't have that anymore.

You talk yourself to sleep.  Maybe you are just digesting all that you've done so far that day.  It is really cute and sure beats hearing you cry it out.

You've fallen asleep twice without your pacifier, because you threw it out of the crib.  I'm not sure when we will start weaning you off the paci but we will eventually.  Right now you only get it during your naps and at bedtime.  You have one clipped to your car seat but we are trying to wean you off of that one so you don't have to use it all the time.

Clothes
You are wearing size 6 month clothes and size 62 and some 68 tops.  The sleeves are a little long on some of the tops but we just roll up the sleeves.  You don't really wear sleepers.  I like putting you in long sleeve Carter's onesies and Carter's pants at night.  There are 4 tops and 2 bottoms you wear and it is easier in my opinion than the sleepers are.

You are wearing size 2 Huggies Snug and Dry Ultra diapers and we've been using Parent's Choice Fragrance Free wipes.  You had a hard time with some dry, red skin after our trip to Florida.  We put sunscreen on you which seemed fine but then I forgot to pack baby wash so we used two different kinds of soaps and I think it really dried out your skin.  Your cousins Avery and Connor also have dry skin so we have been using Vanicream lotion which seems to help.

Playtime
You have been all about sitting up this month.  You fall over occasionally, usually when you see something interesting and look up at it and then forget you are sitting and you lean back.  We've been keeping pillows around you but most of the time you don't need them.  You aren't a big fan of being on your belly anymore because it is harder to play with your toys.  You can fold in half as you reach to get a toy and then pull back and sit straight up.

That face.  So stinkin' cute!

Sometimes you lean forward to get a toy and end up on your belly and flipping your feet back behind you.  Sometimes you get stuck in an awkward position but I'm always there to help you . . . after I take a picture of course.

You have been talking up a storm.  You like to say "yayayaya" and "dadadada." I can't wait to hear what you have to say when you start saying real words.  There is also some high pitched squealing thrown in for good measure.

You like feeling different textures.  You scratch at blankets, the couch, pillows and other things around the house.  It is fun watching you learn.

At the Jones family Christmas you got some stacking rings that you love to play with.  Right now you can take them off the post but you don't put them back on.  You have also had fun playing with the stacking cups we have but again you don't stack them.

You got two maracas from Paislee at Christmas and you really like shaking those.

You are moving around more on your mat but you still pretty much stay on the mat.  You haven't tried to get up on your hands and knees yet but I have a feeling it might be coming soon.

You used to only roll to your right side but now you will roll to your left as well.

This toy used to be your Aunt Annie's and your dad's toy when they were growing up.  (Please notice her very cute squirrel dress in the picture.)

You are NOT a fan of me leaving the room.  The pouty lip and tears are so sad.  I've been trying to make it more of a game so you don't cry all the time so sometimes when I leave I'll play peek a boo with you a few times before I actually leave the room.  It seems to work.  Your dad doesn't like that you will cry when I leave the room even if he is still there but for some reason he gets a big smile on his face when he leaves and you cry and I'm still in the room.

One of our neighbors gave you a John Deere mower that looks exactly like the one we have.  They thought you should have one like mom since I do most of the mowing.

Our Days
Your dad wakes you up in the mornings, changes your clothes and diaper, puts lotion on you and gets you all ready for the day before I feed you.  Once you, aka your dad, are ready you say "Mama, food time.  Food time Mama" from your nursery.  It is super cute.

Your dad also gives you baths most of the time and gets you ready for bed.

I noticed this month that your dad has been going into your room each night before we go to bed to say good night to you.  He holds your head and rubs your back or belly and kisses you.  It is super sweet so now I do it too.  Only once have I had to crawl out of your room because you woke up and I didn't want you to see me :).

Activities and Outings
We celebrated Christmas with my side of the family.  I wrote about it more here but here are some pictures.  We had a great time and have already talked about trying to get together another time soon instead of only at Christmas.

 Nothing says I love you quite like getting your forehead sucked on.

We finally went to our first rhyme time and the library.  I don't know why I've waited so long for us to go.  I'm guessing because one of them is right before your morning nap and the other is during your nap.  We tried the 10:15 time which meant I woke you up around 10 to go.  It worked pretty well but I think you were tired.  We are going to try the 9:15 one, which is 15 minutes before your nap, and see how that one works.

We haven't been able to go on many walks since it has been cold and snowy this month (and they don't clear the sidewalks like they do in Stockholm . . .) but we've had a few nice days to enjoy.

After our trip to Florida I said I would try to vary our days so you aren't always following your schedule but I haven't done a very good job with that.  It is hard because I know I have guaranteed free time during your naps so I'm hesitant to deviate from that but now I've noticed we've been stuck in a rut which isn't fun.  I think changing it up every once in a while is a great thing.

One day we went to your cousins' house and walked to Avery's school to pick her up after playing at the playground with Jocelyn and Connor.  It was a lot of fun.  I'm thankful you Aunt Lindsay invited us.

One of my best friends and college roommates stayed with us for the weekend.  Her husband's family was in town so they were busy hanging out with them but we still got some quality time with them in the mornings and at night after all the kids went to sleep.  Plus, the dad's got to play video games late both nights.  It was a win-win-win!

Our house isn't mobile kid proof but you sure had fun watching the boys run around and play.

Your grandparents visited us this month to celebrate your Grandpa's birthday.  You were well loved that weekend.

We went on another trip as a family.  We went to California to see my aunt and cousins.  You spent your 7 month birthday in Santa Monica, California.  You did great on the plane and you switched over to the Pacific Time zone like a champ.  I'll be doing a California post soon but here are a few pictures from your 7 month birthday!

Firsts and New Skills
You are starting to have some opinions.  You get mad if we take a toy away and you weren't done playing with it.  You get impatient sometimes when you are ready to nurse and I'm taking a while.  If we sit down in the chair to nurse and then I get up to get something you start crying because you know it is time to eat and I'm delaying it for some reason.  You are one smart cookie.

You are starting to raise your arms a bit when I'm getting ready to pick you up.  It is so cute!

Remember
I want to remember the big smile you get when I walk into your room after your nap and you see me for the first time.

I want to remember the nights when you fell asleep nursing.  It only happens once or twice a month but I love it.  I usually end up holding you for a while while you sleep.  It is the best!

I want to remember how much you need me when you are tired or overstimulated.  You will willingly go to others unless you are kind of done with the day and then you just want your mama.  Oh my heart just swells when you need me.

We love you so much sweet girl.  I hope you always know that.
Love,
Your Mama