Fields of Green: Seven Months

Dear Baby Girl,

Oh Darling. Just when we think we couldn't possibly love you any more, your little self goes and steals our hearts all over again. I can't believe we've held you in arms, rocked you to sleep at night, cuddled you close, covered you in kisses and tickled your tiny toes every day for seven whole months. It seems impossible that you're now closer to being one than being just born. Yet I look at the pictures of your first day and I feel so excited for us all over again, knowing all the sweetness to come that is discovering you.

You're such a big girl lately. You love trying new foods, and your favorites so far are bananas, mangos, spinach and butternut squash. You love eating MumMums all by yourself, and you even picked up and ate a pea this week on your very first try. You have your first tooth (it poked through last Friday) and your second one is about it make it's debut any moment. You are army-crawling like crazy, and if I don't keep an eye on you, you end up under the couch or trying to grab the fireplace screen. You just figured out on Monday how to lift one arm and pull the opposite knee forward. You have to gear up for it though by first rocking back and forth, like you need to spring-load first, or you'll oh-so-cleverly hop both knees forward and drop flat on your chest and reach forward. We call that one the inchworm!

You love your toys, and we are so blessed to have so many for you that were hand-me-downs from your cousin or presents from Christmas. Right now you love your piano, your doggy, your wooden block toy, your flowers and your rattle best. You also love to cuddle your Ebby lamb and your blankie and listen to your musical clown when you go to sleep.

You adore the kitties and keep trying to pet them. I have a feeling that "kitty" is going to be your next word! You love smiling at people and yelling "hi" at them. You are starting to have opinions of your own; you love playing with (and chewing on) magazines and strings of any kind, and you get very angry at me when I take them away. You love watching Sesame Street, but you only get to watch it every so often.

I love our morning cuddles. We still often snooze together after your early morning snack. I love waking up with you, singing and playing and reading books before breakfast. You are so cuddly and sweet and we can always count on you for a quick game of peek-a-boo while you lay on one of our chests.

Daddy lights up your day and you get so excited when he gets home. You're so cute when you're excited; your smile is huge and you wiggle and kick your legs like crazy. Daddy has been so busy with work and school, but he can't wait until school is over so that he can spend more time with you.

We stood up in church on Sunday and everyone prayed over you. It was precious to us to know that so many people care about you, but even more, that God loves you so incredibly much. We know that He is going to bring wonderful people into your life to help us show you His love. You are so blessed to grow up surrounded by so much love.

You just light up our lives, little one. Happy seven months!