Santa Meets Madeline

Could someone PLEASE tell this kid that the beard is REAL?!?!? Love, Santa

Madeline at 7 Months

Sweet Doodlebug, you just turned 7 months old. That means you're closer to being a one-year-old than you are to being a newborn. Get me a tissue, please! At 7 months you: 

• Are still a great eater! You are drinking 4 bottles a day at 6 ounces each, but Dr. Barret told us at your six-month checkup that you don't have to take rice in your bottle anymore OR in a bowl! Yay! You were never a big fan of rice cereal. However, you LOVE eating your oatmeal (twice a day) and have pretty much tried every Stage 2 food that Gerber makes. You seem to enjoy them all and haven't refused any of them!
• Have started drinking apple juice (diluted with water) and love it! We're working on finding the right sippy cup for you. You prefer drinking from a regular cup, but Mommy and Daddy aren't ready for that yet!
• Are advancing as an eater. Dr. Barret has said that you can eat anything from the table that can be mashed - like bananas, mashed potatoes, etc. Your Mimi is VERY excited that she gets to feed you mashed potatoes during our Christmas dinner this week!
• Just started wearing size 4 diapers. They're a little big on you, but not much. You just finished off a box of size 3 diapers from Sam's, and I didn't want to have to buy just a few more 3's to tide you over. Daddy says your size 4 diapers look like control top panyhose...the waist goes pretty high on your tummy!
• Are wearing mostly 9 month clothes and a few 12 month clothes. Your 6 month pj's should have been retired a few weeks ago, but we still need them right now! We're hoping Santa Claus will bring your some 12 month pj's!
• Weigh 19.5 pounds today according to our rough calculations at home. You weighed 19 pounds 6 ounces and were 28" long at your 6-month checkup on December 3rd. That's 93% for weight and 97% for height.
• Are keeping us guessing with your teeth! You had a few restless nights around Thanksgiving when the only thing that would console you was a cold paci or teething toy. We see and feel some evidence of a couple of teeth, but they're not doing much. And, the faucet of drool stopped about 2 weeks ago!
• Are still doing well at taking regular naps! You have a morning nap and afternoon nap and sometimes an evening catnap. Your morning nap is the most regular. I still never know how long each one will be, but I'm glad you take them.
• Now go to sleep between 7:00 and 7:30 pm. You get earlier each month! You usually wake up around 7:00 am.
• Have mastered sitting up when we place you in that position, but yesterday (December 20th) you began moving yourself from your tummy to a sitting position all by yourself! We are VERY impressed!
• Still have your "pteradactyl" sound, but not as often. So very funny.
• Are still such a happy gal. It was hard for Mommy to get all her Christmas shopping done because people in the stores like to comment on what a smiley girl you are! I hate having to stop for people to admire you. Just kidding. :)
• Don't chew on your hands very much - usually just a finger or two. You love your paci.
• Have started petting Bond regularly. And...grasping his fur in your tight little fist because you like the way it feels. We're working on this...Bond is very patient. :)
• Are still mouthing things like crazy. EVERYTHING goes in your mouth.
• Sat in a shopping buggy without your carseat for the first time the other day. AND sat in a highchair at a restaurant without your carseat. It was a very interesting lunch. Madeline in a restaurant highchair = Mommy and Daddy taking turns eating a cold lunch.
• Still fit into your baby bathtub, but barely.
• Have acquired two additional nicknames: Helicopter and Scooter.You aren't crawling yet, but you can turn 360 degrees in the blink of an eye and scoot or roll anywhere you want. Usually toward the most dangerous thing in the room. ;)
• Love it when I "get you" by tickling your tummy and sides with my mouth like I'm eating you. You make the greatest cackling sound.
• Are still C-R-A-Z-Y about textures. Your recent favorite is Cousin Elissa's faux rabbit fur coat.
• Still have funny habits when you're drinking your bottle. Your free hand is always stroking the mouth/face of the person feeding you, but recently you've become fascinated with pinching my nose and getting kisses on your hands while you drink.
• Have about the same amount of hair. Still a lot for your age, and so pretty!
• Are losing the fascination with your feet.

A cute little onesie your Aunt Michelle gave you that says, "All I want for Christmas is my Auntie."

On that same note...

I am going to TRY to fill in missing holes in Madeline's blog since this is our "scrapbook" for now. So, when you see a post come through from October, you'll understand why!

Ahhh...Technology.

I just realized I can "fake out" my blog by changing the dates that my entries post. There are many things that I want to post about that happened between Madeline's monthly birthday posts, so...I'm going to go back here and there and "fix" the dates so that things stay chronological! Ha...love it!