SEVEN months!

Dear Carter,

If I had to describe your seventh month of life in one word, that word would be LOUD. You have really come to understand your vocal capacity and utilize it to the fullest extent. I mean this very literally: people stare at you. When I take you with me on errands you tend to start babbling, then squawking, then full blown screeching the likes of which isn't typically heard outside of the jungle. More than once over the last month people have heard you in the vicinity, stopped what they're doing and searched for the source of the noise, only to be shocked to see a very small child wailing and flailing in his stroller. I just shrug and smile. It's all I really can do. Our neighbors probably wondered why we got a pterodactyl for Christmas.

You're like a different baby at seven months old than you were a month ago. You're still a lot of fun and mostly loving life but with a whole new set of skills. You're sitting up really well on your own. We do let you fall now and then depending on what the landing surface is. You think it's particularly funny to topple over on our bed. Not sure why, but it just is. You're much better with your hands and have more coordination which leads to whatever you can reach making it into your mouth at unprecedented speeds. Several weeks ago you re-mastered the tummy to back roll and now you're like a rotisserie chicken making a break for it. You did decide to feud with the nap this month, but you'll soon learn that I am stubborn and don't give up easily. The nap and I are joining forces and determined to have victory. It's for your own good, I promise. I know you think it's better to be so exhausted that you're a whiny mess with bags under your eyes, but sleep is really the way to go.

You are such a little charmer. A few weeks ago I took you and Stella on a walk to the coffee shop down the street (really, this sounds much more quaint than our neighborhood really is). We were sitting outside while I was enjoying my tea and you were wildly flinging your toys about. I looked away for a few seconds and when I looked back I realized that you had a captive audience of businessmen. They were inside, on the other side of a big window. All five of these older men in suits and ties had their attention diverted completely to you. They were smiling at you and waving as you smiled right back, laughing and flailing your limbs at them. After their meeting wrapped up and they were leaving, they passed us and told me how adorable you are and how fun it was to see you interacting with them. My future looks troubling.

You and Stella are tolerating each other much better these days. I knew she would come around as soon as you were eating real food. But you think she's funny now. You positively SCREECH with laughter at her sometimes. She still scares you every once in a while but you don't seem to mind her piercing barks of protection or her inquisitive sniffing.

You have teeth! Plural! A few weeks ago your bottom front teeth popped out. Your right tooth was the first to debut, closely followed by the left three days later. I can tell there's more on the way any day now. And those little teeth? They're deceptively sharp. You've almost taken off a few of my fingers and one of your dad's, too. Of course, you think that's funny. You also think pulling my hair is funny. And so is gnawing on my face if I let you get close enough. Your new trick is grabbing my hair with both fists so quickly I hardly even know what's going on. While I'm distracted with the freeing of my hair you launch at my face. It's actually pretty awesome.

You're an experienced eater now (of course, your DNA predestined you to that). We gave you sweet potatoes as your first real food and you loved them. You ate the entire jar and would have kept going if I'd cracked open a second jar. You've also tried carrots and squash (loved) and a few green veggies like sweet peas and green beans (merely tolerated). You made the most horrible face and your facial expression pleaded with me to stop forcing you to eat it. You really like fruits, especially plums but you've also tried apples and pears.

You celebrated your first Christmas a few weeks ago. You didn't quite get it, but there were a few things that you really liked. You loved the shiny bows and you liked to stare at the lights. Since you started rolling like a maniac right about the time we put the tree up you loved to roll yourself over and just watch the lights fade in and out. You also tried to grab the ornaments, so because of your persistence and Stella's hurricane tail the bottom few feet of the tree were sparse with completely unbreakable ornaments. We cherished the time with you and I can't wait until you understand the meaning of Christmas and the importance it holds in our lives.

You also rang in your first New Year! You and I celebrated by sleeping. Dude, midnight is super late when you have a small infant who demands your attention bright and early. We used to be a lot cooler than we are now, but you know, I wouldn't trade life with you to be young and hip and unfettered even for a moment. There were some challenges in our life this month. When I felt like the world was raining down on me, I snuck in to your room and gently lifted you into my arms and just held you. You would snuggle into my arms and nuzzle my neck and that was enough to make everything okay again. That will always be enough for me. Your dad and I are just so blessed to have you in our lives. And I promise to stop sneaking into your room by the time you're 18.

Love,

Mama