myla at 7 months

To the most adorable baby in the world,

Seven months and I love you more every single day. You are such a little person with so much personality! Your dad and I joke that you are  "high adventure" baby because you thoroughly enjoy getting swung around at top speeds, getting thrown into the air, and anything that could be considered a "ride." You love motion. You are also trying to move yourself around. Much to my dismay (and excitement) you are on the verge of crawling. You are up on your knees rocking and otherwise either planking, rolling, or trying to stand (making diaper changes very, very difficult). You can stand up with your walker toy by yourself and with a little encouragement can pull to stand. You love to "walk" while holding onto our hands or your walker...I am going to have a mobile baby on my hands before I know it and I'm not sure I'm ready for that. The apartment isn't ready for your curiosity and I'm not ready for you to be so grown up. What happened to my snuggly girl?

You are sitting absolutely by yourself now and I love it. You can play much more independently and you are pleased as punch about it. You've also figured out your jumparoo and have a great time in there. You also think that I am a jumparoo, however, and try to jump whenever you're standing on my lap. Good arm workout for me.

You have a passion for food and have liked everything offered to you. You like to sit in your bumbo, bib on, food in sight, and have your arms straight out to the sides while beckoning the food forward with your hands (hard to explain). It's basically a "give me that food!" stance. It's pretty adorable. If I'm not delivering it fast enough you start to grunt and groan. You have now tried oatmeal cereal, bananas, avocados, peas, green beans, sweet potatoes, carrots, cottage cheese, cucumbers, puffs, apples, "mixed veggies (spinach/carrots/peas), and prunes. While timid with new flavors at first you have loved them all after a few introductions. I think your favorite is prunes mixed with oatmeal. You like to say "Mmmmm...Mmmmm...MMMMMM" while you eat.

Your mouth is prepping for more chunky food - you sprouted a tooth at the beginning of May and the second one isn't far behind. Bottom center left... or as your dad insists, "left central incisor of the mandable - tooth #23". You are still nursing and those teeth make me nervous, but so far no barracuda attacks! Let's keep it that way.

Thanks to your new food, your poop is... different. I won't go into it. More gross but less blow-outs.

You went on your second set of plane rides when we went to New Mexico and you did great! I was very nervous because dad wasn't there to help out, but you did just fine despite going longer than you have in your whole life without a nap (4.5 hours!). I thought for sure you would sleep on the plane but you just wanted to be social with everyone. You grinned at everyone as we walked down the aisle to our seat and then flirted shamelessly with the people sitting next to us for the hour flight.

We had a great time with grandma and grandpa Nielsen, auntie Jen, and sweet cousin Gage. He couldn't get enough of you and you loved him too! You are so much fun to play with and are starting to really get into "peek-a-boo," "pattacake," and the "tickle-monster!" You also love it when we blow in your face. You always smile after you sneeze. You have the silliest personality and you crinkle your nose when you smile real big... like when we tickle you just right.

You are officially consistently sleeping through the night! Alleluia.

We love you so much. I love being home with you and feel really lucky that I get to be around you all the time. Thanks for being SUCH a joy. xoxo

Love, mom

at the splash pad!

in New Mexico!

Gage and Myla were SO cute together!

this lady loves her baths!

Easter bunnies :)

First tooth! And... of course she is chewing on EVERYTHING she can

Enthusiastic with her sweet potatoes. I got together with a few friends this month and we made a bunch of baby food - it was a lot of fun and myla has liked it all!