hadley fern {seven months}

Hadley Fern, you are 7 months old!

This month has brought a lot of new fun for you!  A few weeks ago you rode in the swing at the park for the first time and loved it.  I can see a lot of swinging in our summer plans.

Hadley, you also l-o-v-e food!  At your 6 month doctor's visit they recommended you start solids to hopefully gain a little weight {tiny baby is only in the 3rd percentile of weight}.  After a few false starts you figured out what the tasty stuff on the end of the spoon is for and now you're a fan. So far you've tried bananas, sweet potatoes, green beans, pears, and carrots.  You love it all! Typically you eat twice a day at lunchtime and dinner.

You're still nursing about 5x a day {6am, 9am, 12pm, 3pm, 6pm} and once at night {3am} about 3x a week.  The other nights you sleep straight through.  Those are my favorite.  :-)

As far as sleep goes, you're great at night - sleeping from 6:30pm to either 3am or 6am.  Daytime is a different matter...  You continue to be an inconsistent napper and often end up crabby because you're just so tired.  I'm trying to be more strict about nap times, but with Asher's on-the-go schedule it can be tough.  Right now we are trying to take naps at 9am, 1pm, and 4pm. You often get at least 1 good nap a day, but whether it will be in the morning or afternoon is anyone's guess!

Hadley, you are getting very active. You can easily roll in both directions now.  Many times throughout the day I'll find you in a different position than you were in just a minute before. You love to sleep on your side and have mastered rolling up on your side and stopping there to sleep.  It's so darn adorable!  You still aren't sitting up unsupported, but we're working on it.  :-) I know you'll get there in your own time.

Last week you got 2 teeth!  They are side-by-side on the bottom gum.  I haven't been able to get a good picture of them yet, but hopefully soon.  So far you are aces at teething.  There has been a lot of chewing on everything and a good deal of drooling, but you only had 2 nights of crying from pain.  A little rocking and Tylenol seemed to take care of that and you were right as rain.  Let's hope the rest of your teeth come in this smoothly.

Everything and everyone catches your gaze.  It has become absolutely impossible to feed you with anyone else around.  They get your full attention!  You crane your neck and practically go upside down to see who's around.  Sweet Hadley, you always want to be a part of the conversation and have started squawking in with your own opinions on the subject.  :-)

At 7 months, Hadley...

• weighs 13 lbs 5 oz
• wears size 6-9 month clothes
• wears size 2 diapers
• hasn't worn any shoes yet, but has a teeny tiny foot
• loves to eat both food and mama's milk
• adores her big brother and thinks he's hilarious!
• has 2 teeth
• sleeps about 12 hours at night and {tries to take} 3 naps 
• rolls back and forth easily
• loves her play mat and bouncy seat, but hates the Bumbo
• gets a bath every night and loves to splash all over

Hadley Fern, you are a whole month on this side of being a year old and I don't like it one bit.  You are getting so big too fast little lady!  There isn't a day that goes by that Daddy and I don't thank God for bringing you to our family.  We're excited to see what you will do next, but enjoy each little moment with you.  Thanks for being our sweet girl, Haddie.  You are such a special, important part of this world!