7 Months

My Sweet Little Gaberdoodle,

First off, can I please just say, "STOP IT!" I know that I am your mother and all, but seriously kid, if you get any cuter I'm just not sure I'll be able to stand it. Really. Between those adorable ringlets, your sparkly blue eyes, that huge gummy grin, and your giggle, oh the giggle . . . how am I ever going to discipline you? (Oh and you're composed at least partially of my DNA, so there's no doubt you'll be getting yourself into plenty of trouble soon enough.)

This month has passed by as quick as any. Between a visit from your Tio Justin and Daddy's friend, Jimmy, trips to Rio, Ilha Grande, The Pantanal, Bonito, and Ouro Preto, along with parties and getting together with friends, we have barely had time to breath around here. And as always, you have taken it all in stride. (Well, to be completely honest, the month started off a little shaky when you were less than the perfect happy traveler in Rio and Ilha Grande. I think the combination of a whole lot of time in the car, you teething, and us pushing a little too hard and not making any time for naps was really to blame though.)


You were a complete superstar on our trip to The Pantanal in Mato Grosso do Sul. We stayed three nights at an all-inclusive fazenda/pousada in the middle of the wilderness surrounded by caimans (like alligators), piranhas, and mosquitoes galore with temperatures that soared into the 100's. Some might argue that it is no place for your average 6-month old infant, but, as you continue to prove time and time again, you are anything but average! The dozen or so late 20-ish European guys who were staying there with us started calling you "The World's Coolest Baby" and all wanted their picture with you by the end of the trip. You make your Papai and me very proud to be your parents! (Although your father is hoping that was a one-time thing and you never have that many boys infatuated with you ever again. hahaha)


Besides learning how to fish for piranhas and flirt with boys, you worked on a few other skills this month too. You can finally sit and play for long periods of time, and we no longer have to worry so much about you tipping over and bonking your head. You are able to entertain yourself a lot longer now that you are sitting up to play with your toys (and that is a huge help for your Mamãe!) You push/pull to standing like a pro now, with something to hold onto, and are standing for longer periods of time. You've decided laps are definitely made for standing, not sitting. And then there's the crawling. You are sooooo close!!!


You're quite the active little thing and are beginning to make it a lot more interesting to try doing anything with you in our lap or on our hip. You like to grab everything, which is usually followed by putting it in your mouth. (The lady at the airport seemed less than impressed when I handed her our chewed-up boarding pass the other day. And while I normally try to not let you eat things like paper, I happened to be distracted by picking things up after going through security and you took advantage of the opportunity.) Besides gnawing on things, you are currently obsessed with faces, feet (and shoes), hair, and jewelry.

A lack of teeth hasn't been holding you back in the eating department. Your favorite time of the day is, without a doubt, any time you are eating. The second we put you in the Bumbo and start getting your food out, you get so excited you squeal and your arms and legs tremble with anticipation. You eat three meals per day now (usually around 10:00, 2:00, and 7:00) along with your four nursing sessions (at roughly 8:00, 12:00, 4:00, and 8:00). Your favorites this month are beans (red or black, mashed or whole, you don't care, you just love beans - such a Brasileira!) and plain, unsweetened yogurt. And while you would be totally content eating only those two things, for the sake of nutrients and variety we also have been giving you: avocado, banana, pear, apple, papaya, watermelon, acerola, grapes, oatmeal, pumpkin, carrots, peas, green beans, and, just recently, beef. We're going to wait a while before giving you any more oatmeal though. You have thrown up (explosively) on two occassions now and oatmeal was the only common demoninator. We'll try it again in another month or so. You're not really loving the pumpkin and carrots, so we have to sneak those in between other bites, but otherwise you seem content with everything we give you. We continue to try out new foods each week and add them to the rotation.


Our potty mission is going way better than I ever expected. You figured out real quick that you are more comfortable when you use the potty and you go pretty much every time we take you. When we are at home, we have gone good parts of the day without you wetting your diaper and we make it to the potty about 75% of the time when you need to poo. (Other times you go first thing when you wake up, before you make a peep.) It will get a lot easier once you start using some sign language, but you already try to tell us when you need to go. Of course, it is sort of hard to distinguish your I-need-to-poo-whine from your I'm-bored-whine, but hopefully your sign language abilities will emerge real soon!

In an effort to control the ever-growing mop of yours, we had to start using hair bands. Your little clippy-bows just weren't doing it any more. And then I decided to give pig-tails a shot. You hated the whole rubber band thing for the first week (since it requires a lot more time and hair-pulling to accomplish), but I explained to you that you were a girl and were going to have to learn to toughen up. (Hello! plucking, waxing, high heels, child birth . . . being female requires pain tolerance!) You are no longer bothered by me fixing your hair. But that doesn't mean you ever hold still long enough for me to get a straight part!

The final highlight of your month was meeting Santa for the first time. He made his grand appearance at Patio Savassi, so we took you to go pass along your Christmas Wish List and make good with the big guy. After the two kids in front us of (who were only a few months older than you) bawled and screamed, I think Papai Noel was awfully excited to have a smiley, happy baby in his lap. And we were pretty sure his helpers were just going to keep you - they had little interest in returning you to us!

It's been a fun month for sure! Watching you grow, learn, and develop makes everyday incredible!

I love you bunches my munchkin!

Mamãe

P.S. You're still my little squirt. Just 15.2 pounds (15th percentile) and 26 inches (25th percentile). Although not from a lack of eating - you're my little piggy in that department. ;)