Another month gone, little one, and with it, many, many more changes and adventures. It’s hard to believe that you’re already seven months old. Changes are happening so fast now. It seems like every day, you are able to do something new. Even so, I still can’t believe that in a few short months you will be walking and starting to put words together into meager, little sentences. Though I know those days will be fun, I’m trying to soak in as much of this age as possible. I am really enjoying it.
Okay, this past month, one of the biggest changes has been in the way that you eat. Though you remain primarily a breast-fed baby, every afternoon you eat an additional meal of solid foods, and we’ve gone through quite a few. The list of menu items thus far include:
Rice cereal (you could take it or leave it )
Oatmeal (LOVE it)
Avocado (LOVE it)
Sweet potatoes (you seem undecided)
Peaches (LOVE them)
Bananas (do not like them)
Carrots (like them, we think)
Peas (DESPISE them, just like Daddy)
It should also be noted that Mommy is making all of your food, using a food processor and steamer to prepare these meals from scratch. It’s more work, but it’s actually less expensive than buying jars of baby food, and there’s a possibility that it might be better for you. In today’s nutritional climate, farmer’s markets, organics, and all-natural foods are all the rage, even though the benefits of organics have been challenged by rigorous scientific studies and the backlash against stores like Whole Foods has most definitely begun. By the time you are old enough to purchase groceries, perhaps canned goods will be all the rage. Who knows? Even so, a homemade meal is always nice, and it’s always made with love.
You are also sitting up for extended periods of time now without falling over, and you’ve shown a remarkable propensity to occupy and entertain yourself without the assistance of Mommy or me. Earlier in the week, Mommy set you up on a quilt with a bunch of toys and left to take a shower while I worked on my book across the room. For almost an hour you sat quietly, playing with your toys, chewing on your books, and being fully content in your own world. It’s amazing to watch you sit there without falling, examining a toy, putting it down, picking up another one, smashing it against the floor, and smiling. Yesterday, Mommy asked me, “Do you remember when Clara couldn’t hold anything?” I do, which makes your new skills even more amazing to me. You have also developed into a first-class roller, and you are showing definite signs of getting ready to crawl.
This month also marked your first foray into the realm of swimming. While you adored the inflatable pool on the deck, you did not enjoy the adult-sized pool or the kid’s pool at the public park. One look at the water and you began protesting mightily. Perhaps the sheer size of the pools overwhelmed you.
Being the summer, we spent some time away from home this month, including several days at your grandparents house in the Berkshires, a day at the Mystic Seaport, and most recently a couple days in Watch Hill, Rhode Island at the Hires’ beach house. We had a fabulous time, little one, spending the day in the company of Donna, Jeff, and my former student, Kelly. We enjoyed a walk on the beach, a delicious dinner, a card game, a Yankees win, and an afternoon of shopping and ice cream in Watch Hill. You were an angel for the entire trip, sleeping well and constantly smiling. On more than one occasion, Donna, an avid reader of this blog, said, “She really is the happiest baby!”
Yes, little one. You are.
You also met your grandfather this month, little one, as well as some of your cousins and great aunts and uncles from my side of the family. After twenty years apart, I was reunited with my father as well, little one, and I think I have you to thank for this important occasion. I’m not sure if my father and I would have been smart enough to come together without you, so thank you. It’s the greatest gift someone could ever give me.
We also took you to the Baby Pictures movie this month, an opportunity for the parents of infants to see a movie in an environment conducive for babies. Mothers with strollers and quilts and toys invade the theater, and employees set up a changing station and take food and drink orders so parents can remain with their children. The volume is turned down a bit and the lights are left on, but overall it was a great experience. I was the only man in the theater, surrounded by two dozen breast-feeding mothers, but I enjoyed the movie (The Time Travelers Wife) and managed to keep my head down and not offend any exposed mother.
But there’s room for improvement. We’d still like you to take better naps, and Mommy could do without the 3-15 minutes of crying that you insist upon when she puts you down for bed, but even here you seem to be improving. Yesterday you napped for two hours, and it was so long and unexpected that Mommy and I eventually grew concerned over your safety and had to check in on you.
We felt a little silly, but your typical nap is about 45 minutes long, so we weren’t prepared for your two hour marathon.
Tomorrow I return to work, little one, after a summer of time spent in your company. I don’t know how I will manage not seeing you during the day. While I’m happy that Mommy will be home to take care of you, I’m struggling with the idea of being away from you for so long each day. It’s been such a wonderful and happy month that I don’t want to miss a second.
We love you so much, Clara Susan.
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