To Vivian, seven months old

We were a bit late but we finally had your sixth month check-up today. And you are 17 pounds (50%) and 27 inches (75%) with a head circumference of 17. Look at all those lucky sevens at seven months! I feel like I am the lucky one getting another great, beautiful, sweet amazing daughter.

You are continuing to grow and develop in all the ways you should. You are rolling over like crazy now. You always sleep mashed into the corner of your crib, lying on your stomach with your face buried into your little monkey. You love to practice your four point stance in which you lift your body into a plank or downward dog position.
Then you get onto all fours to practice crawling and inevitably manage to move several feet backwards. I always feel a bit bad when I put a toy in front of you to get you to crawl towards it and I see all the effort you put into getting to it but, instead, you get further and further away.

Daddy likes to play a game with you where he will make a sound over and over and then you will make the same sound back at him. You seem to love this game as well. In fact, you are so happy all the time with Daddy. You laugh and giggle like crazy or you sit totally silently and contentedly in his arms as he carries you about. He gets up with you in the morning a lot which has allowed you two to develop a really special bond. I think it is only fair for me to continue to allow him to get up - it wouldn't be right if I took over in the morning. Okay, David, Vivian is all yours from 6am-8am.

We call you Bebo and also Pepper. (Stella is Sugar, I am Salt, You are Pepper, Daddy is Spicy Sauce.)

You still wake up between 1 and 50 times starting around 3am.

You started eating solid foods. We started a little bit after you turned six months because we were taking our first family vacation to Jamaica and it seemed like a better idea to start this very long chapter of your life after we returned. So far you have had avocado, carrots and peas.
Carrots are your favorite although you don't like anything as much as you love love love water. Mostly you like to take the spoon away from me and feed yourself.
I am a firm believer in allowing you to play with your food, touch it, mash it between your fingers, put it in your hair, etc. This results in a very big clean up job for me. Food seems to go everywhere but in your mouth.
Please note: before I had kids, I did not think pictures of children with food on their faces was cute at all. I still have mixed feelings about them but for the sake of posterity...

It is a strange thing going from sustaining you solely on my breastmilk to adding food. I'm so happy with our breastfeeding relationship. It was a bit of a battle getting to this place and it is such a special and important thing to me. Now that you seem to get such comfort from it -- and clearly are getting great nourishment -- it is just a huge source of pride to me and I love sharing that special time with you every day. Even though we will continue for quite awhile, it is a big thing to add food to the mix.

You still have a great time in the bath.

You had your first vaccination today and you did not cry. Not even one peep. I closed my eyes. Seemingly nothing happened. And the nurse told me it was over.

You LOVE the swing and your big sister Stella LOVES to push you on it. You always have a great time and get so excited when we get close to the park. But really you laugh hardest when Stella is the one pushing you. I'm so thrilled that you guys already seem to be developing a very special relationship.

You are still the reigning champion -- smiliest baby of all time.

You are still the reigning champion -- most loved baby of all time.

My heart has expanded a thousand-fold since you were born. I just love you so so much.

Love,
Mommy