Hadley: 7 Months

Seven months old, today!  Hadley Ann, how are you growing so quickly?  You are such a sweet joy in our lives and we are so thankful for the past 7 months with you!  If your daddy happens to work late and misses seeing you before your bedtime, he sits outside your door like a little puppy and begs me to let him wake you up!  You are SO loved little girl.  It’s amazing to me that the Lord can love you more than we do, but He does, and I pray that you find that at a young age!

No doctor’s appointments this month, so these stats are just guestimates :)

• Weight: 20 1/2 lbs (we used the Wii fit to do this one, so it’s super scientific)
• Height: 27 1/2 inches
• Diapers: Size 3, but we just started a box of size 4s at night
• Clothes: Pretty much all 9 month or 12 month;  I even have a couple of 18 month shirts that aren’t that huge on you. 

Still no teeth for you, sweet girl.  You seem to go in spurts of really bad teething symptoms, then we’ll get a week or two break, then it’ll come back with a vengeance.  I was looking at my baby book, and I didn’t get my first tooth until just shy of 10 months, so if you follow suit, we’ve still got awhile!  We’re all praying it comes sooner, though!  It’s rare for me to catch a picture of you when you don’t have something in your mouth for those gums…

A box full of toys, and all you wanted was the spatula.

This month, in addition to getting your shots for your 6 month appointment a bit late, we also had an appointment at the Scottish Rite Hospital here in Dallas.  Your pediatrician (Dr. Khouri – we switched to her last month) referred us because we noticed the fat rolls on your legs were asymmetric.  That can be a sign of hip dysplasia, so she wanted us to get it checked out.  You did so well at the hospital – smiling and talking to the doctors and volunteers there.  The only time you were unhappy was during the ultrasound they did on your hips – but I think that you were just a little hungry and getting tired.  We were relieved to find out that your hips looked great and the doctor’s blamed the asymmetry on the fact that we’re not all symmetric, and you’re a little bit “healthy” as they called it, so it is more obvious. 

We said goodbye to some of our closest friends this month, as well.  Your first “friend” (I use that word loosely because most of the times y’all were together, one of you – usually you, Hadley – was crying) Brynn moved to China for 2 years.   We sent them out in style by going to Joe T’s in Fort Worth and keeping you girls up WAY past your bedtimes.  It’s hard to believe that when they come back to visit we’ll have to re-introduce you two each time!  Hopefully before too long you’ll remember her and they’ll get back to Dallas!

Speaking of friends, this month you saw a lot of them!  We got to see the McDermott’s (mommy’s friend Liz from GSD&M) twice!  Once in Austin to eat, and then once in Dallas (to eat again – we do that a lot).  You got to see our friends James & Kaylan again (the last time you saw them you were just a couple weeks old) and James’ parents when we went out to Lake LBJ, and our friends Dan & Katie (you love Katie – you’re always so content when she’s holding you!) when we went to eat at Chuy’s.   You also saw from of mommy’s friends from teaching Amy and Melissa and their kids for a play date.  You had fun watching the big kids play!  And, you got to meet daddy’s cousin Erin and her boyfriend Harold this month, too, when they came over for fajitas (are you seeing the theme around eating?  It’s no wonder you’re such a chunk!).  And last, you met mommy’s friend Sara (for the second time – you were just a couple weeks old when she first met you) when we, once again, went out to eat.  Whew!  We had a busy social calendar this month!

You are still a great eater.  In addition to everything you’d had last month, you’ve now also had: pumpkin, parsnips, chicken, turkey, sour cream (on accident – mommy was cooking and your hand was too quick for me), mango, zucchini, cantaloupe and watermelon.  You eat solids 3 times a day now and usually have about 4 ounces worth at each meal.  In addition to that, you still nurse 4-6 times a day, but they are pretty quick sessions.  We haven’t tried a bottle lately, but you are slowly getting better at drinking water out of your sippy cup.

Trying out some cantaloupe in your mesh feeder.  And a piece of a mum-mum (rice teething biscuits) on your tray.

Your sleeping habits this month were not so great.  I’m blaming it on teething, but honestly, I don’t know what the deal was.  Fortunately (*knock on wood*) you are back to normal, but you were wearing me out for a few weeks, there!  I can’t even write out a “normal” schedule because you were all over the place.  One night you’d wake up just once, the next you were up 7 times and screaming until I nursed you.  Maybe it was a growth spurt, maybe teething, hopefully just a phase that we are now done with!  The last few nights you’ve gone 11-12 hours sleeping and napping 2-3 times a day for 40 minutes – 2 hours at a time. 

You FINALLY rolled on your own from your back to your belly this month.  I’m pretty sure you’ve been able to do this for a long time, but you saw no use in it, because you don’t like being on your tummy.  You’re still not using rolling to get around, but I will be thankful for the ability to put you in one place and have you stay there! 

This is right after you rolled over to your belly for the first time… I think you were going after your ball.

And this is how I found you after your nap the other day!  That is not how I put you down!

Girlfriend, you are in-de-pen-dant.  You have never been a snuggler, and when someone is holding you, your arms are always out.  Daddy calls it your “wings out position.”  Just like this picture below (which was your first time to ride in the cart without your infant seat!)

Now that you can sit on your own really well, you don’t love diaper changes or getting dressed.  You know that you can see more when you’re sitting, so you don’t like being put on the changing table.  This makes it extra fun to change or dress you when you’re tired and cranky!  ;) 

One of my favorite developments this month, though, is your babbling.  You’ve babbled here and there for a month or two now, but you really kicked it in high gear these last couple weeks.  You just tell story after story after story and I absolutely melt at hearing your sweet little voice.  A typical story goes something like “dadaadaa, ga ga goo, boo baba, lala, ahhyaya yaya  ya ya yaa.”  Then you’ll finish it off with a high pitched squeal that I think only little girls can do.  I can’t wait until those words have real meaning and we can know what’s going on inside that adorable little head of yours!  Your babbles alone just make us stop in our tracks to thank God for the blessing you are in our lives!  Here’s a quick video of your babbles – sorry for the bad lighting.  You were on your changing table, and when you see the camera, you stop what you’re doing, so I couldn’t let you see.  Also, please ignore my annoying baby-voice.

Not a day goes by that your daddy and I don’t thank God for entrusting us with your life, Hadley.  I hope you will always know how loved you are!  You are such a treasure to us!  We love you!

Children are a gift from the LORD; they are a reward from him.

Psalm 127:3