Jourdan Leigh

Can't believe this sweet girl is already seven months! Sounds so old! She is getting so big, looking less like a "baby" every day I think, but she is still a tiny little peanut. I think she definitely feels heavier than last month, but unfortunately we won't get to weigh her again until 9 mos. She is still eating 2 times a day, but just having a lot of difficulties being "regular" so we have added prunes regularly and give her lots of water and watered down apple juice. And if things are really rough, I just cut out the food and stick with nursing and don't stress too much about it.

New things she likes this month are jumping. She will go crazy in the jumperoo and wants to jump while you are holding her as well. She also loves when you help hold her up next to something at her level like the coffee table and she will smack her hands on it, definitely not close to holding herself up yet though. She is great at sitting now and has really good balance to where I feel comfortable leaving her in the living room playing with toys while I'm in the kitchen for example. She also has started rocking like crazy while sitting, and occasionally falls forward because of this...not sure if this is related to crawling? I'm not sure she is anywhere near crawling though because she really still doesn't like being on her tummy much at all.

One of the best things that happened this month was her sleeping through the night! Pretty much right after she turned six months I had a feeling she was ready so I decided if she woke I would let her fuss for a half hour and if she was still awake I would go in to feed her. The first two nights she fussed for 30 mins and I went in and fed her, no success. Then the third night she just magically slept through the night without a peep! And we never looked back! I don't think it had anything to do with me trying to "sleep train" her or whatever you want to call it, I think she was just ready and did it on her own. And it is fabulous!

Her schedule still looks really similar to last month, but I'm not sure if she is close to giving up the third nap or not. It sort of depends on her first two naps, if they are long, she typically doesn't want to take a third nap. I will still let her hang out in her crib those days for at least 30 mins because I can tell that she still needs that resting time. Her first two naps are anywhere from 45 mins to over 2 hours.

730 am wake up, nurse
930-10 am nap (we still go down 2 hours from wake up)
11-1130 wake, nurse (your first nap is typically pretty good, an hour and a half to two hours)
1-130 nap
2-230 wake, nurse
4-430 nap
430-5 wake, nurse (just all depends on how long your naps are, but this is an average day!)
715 nurse
730 bedtime

accidentally posted a lot of pictures in last month's post that should be in this one so not as many pics this time!

ooooooooooh!

just so smiley these days! so much fun!

sick baby on her seven month bday :(

silly face

baby feet

Of course I'm going to start out by saying once again that this past month has been the funnest one yet! It is so exciting and special to see your little personality start to come out miss Reese! We have had some very big milestones and exciting things this month as well: being dedicated to the Lord, eating solid foods and learning to sit up on your own!  You were dedicated at East 91st, our church, on January 27th. We stood up in front of the church and declared that we were dedicated to raising you to know and love Jesus.  That is our greatest prayer for you baby girl and we will always strive to show you how great his love is!

I wanted to wait to feed you until six months due to the recommendations, however you were grabbing at everything we ate, opening your mouth when I brought a spoon to it, and we really wanted to plump you up since you are such a peanut, so we started solid foods right after you reached five months. We started with the rice cereal which you loved right away, so we knew you were ready.

We've since tried avocado, banana, sweet potato, butternut squash, pears, peaches, carrots, oatmeal, pumpkin, and prunes and you've loved it all except avocado & bananas. I've been surprised how easy its been to make it all! Depending on what it is, but most things I've just steamed in a little water then pureed them with the cooking liquid or some breast milk. Then I pour them in ice cube trays and freeze them, them pop them out into labeled baggies. You seem to like all your fruits and veggies thickened with cereal.

As far as sitting up goes, it seems like you pretty much just picked it up overnight! I was practicing with you for days in a row, then it seems like you just figured it out. Now you can sit there for long periods and are great at balancing yourself.  Its pretty cute to see you sitting up all by yourself playing with your toys, but it also makes you look so big I just can't believe it. We have a little basket in the living room with a lot of toys in it and one of your favorite things is to pull the basket over and grab toys out. You still hate tummy time and really don't seem to be anywhere close to crawling, which is just fine!

You are getting much better being around other people lately. You go to the church nursery on Sunday mornings and on Thursday mornings so I can do a bible study group called Real moms. We also had our first night away from you a few days before you turned six months and my mom stayed at our house with you. You are still in love with mommy and daddy though. When someone else is holding you, you will normally keep your eyes on me. And when daddy comes home your whole face lights up. He really knows how to make you smile and it pretty much melts my heart every time.

You've become so vocal lately, babbling non-stop. You don't really "scream" or shriek too often anymore like you used to, but more just talking away. You blow bubbles like crazy and make all kinds of other funny sounds. I keep recording videos of you because I just want to remember exactly what you were like at each phase, you are so stinking cute. Another adorable thing you do now is smile or giggle at someone then pretend you are being shy and turn away burying your face in my shoulder.  Its pretty funny.

You are putting EVERYTHING in your mouth. Anything I have in my hands while holding you or that is close to you on the counter you reach for and it goes straight to the mouth. You also have gotten pretty good at putting your pacifier in yourself if you find it...you are in love with it.

You were still not sleeping through the night at six months, but started to right after you turned (so I'll save that for next month). We still follow the same type of schedule with three naps a day, but now you stay up a full two hours between each nap.

8 am wake up, nurse (this is pretty standard, during the week if you wake prior to this I will let you just babble away in your crib until 8, and on the weekends you will sometimes sleep longer, I think because you don't hear us up getting ready in the morning).
930-10 am nap (we go down 2 hours from wake up)
11-1130 wake, nurse (your first nap is typically pretty good, an hour and a half to two hours)
1-130 nap
2-230 wake, nurse
4-430 nap
430-5 wake, nurse (just all depends on how long your naps are, but this is an average day!)
715 nurse
730 bedtime
still nursing one time in the middle of the night at 6 mos - anywhere between 1 and 5 am I would say!

Your stats at your 6 mo appt were 15 lbs 2 oz - 30% & 28 3/4 in - 85%. You went down a bit in the percentile for your weight, but your ped isn't concerned which made me feel better. You are still eating every 2.5 - 3 hours a day, 6 times a day (including middle of the night) and eating solids twice a day. You are just a peanut!!!

You are the most beautiful little girl I know. When you look me in the eyes and give me the biggest smile, my little mommy heart melts. You are truly incredible, I am so thankful to God for blessing us with you! There are no words to describe our love for you!