Jack is Seven Months

Jack discovered screeching at the beginning of the month. Initially I thought something must be wrong with him, but I think it was just a new way he learned to communicate. Thankfully this phase only lasted a week. As a friend of mine told me: he is singing and this is the song that God gave him for right now.

By the end of the month Jack had discovered growling, roaring and saying "Argggghh" like a pirate. He especially enjoyed doing this with his Grandpa Voyles. He also started scrunching up his face and squinting his eyes when he doesn't like something. Though he also does this when he wants something and occasionally when he thinks something is really funny. This little face is quite comical and it is hard not to laugh when he does it.

Jack has been sleeping through the nights for several weeks now. Consistently 9-11 hours. It is awesome {for me}. Our biggest issue with this was finding a cloth diaper that doesn't leak during this longer time period. We finally gave in and purchased a BumGenius and we have been very happy with it. Now we have two expensive diapers {the Rumparooz and BumGenius} that we use exclusively for night time. Occasionally those leak too. I think this is just part of the deal with baby boys – they pee a lot. Having to wash the sheets once or twice a week hasn't been too big of an issue though. I'm just glad he is sleeping so much now!!!

We lowered his crib mattress at the end of the month. Jack is quite strong and though he hasn't figured out how to get into a sitting position from laying down, we don't want him to figure that out in his crib when we are not around.

Jack consistently rolls over front to back and back to front. He hasn't really figured out crawling, though he can scoot. He has become quite proficient at sitting by himself and if you are holding him, he insists on pulling himself up to a standing position. Jumping and bouncing in our laps have become favorite past times as well. This behavior is making it more difficult for me to burp him after nursing and sometimes I feel like he is going to squirm right out of my arms.

This month we started introducing solid food. We are tentatively doing the Baby Led Weaning approach. Jack's first food experience was with avocado. He did pretty well. Since then he has tried both adult and baby oatmeal, bananas, squash and broccoli {and one french fry from Red Robin and a bite of guacamole from our favorite local Mexican restaurant}. He seems to do best with bananas and oatmeal. He handles a spoon really well. So far his eating seems to consist of sticking food in his mouth and then talking and/or shouting at the food {while it is in his mouth}. This results in about half of it ending up on his chin, bib and surrounding area. We will continue to forge ahead with new foods every few days.

It looks like Jack has finally outgrown spitting up -- at least as an all the time thing. We no longer have to keep him in bibs 24/7. So glad to be out of that phase!

Jack was a little late to the game in realizing the fun of bath time. A few days ago, it was like a lightbulb went off and he figured out that slapping his hand on the water made loud noises and that scooping copious amounts of water out of the tub {onto his daddy and the floor} was something that could bring him great joy.

We are still a no go on the teeth front. Every once in awhile he has a fussy day and we think maybe this is it, but so far, no teeth.

This past month Jack went to his first fish fry... 

  

cheered mommy on at her first 5K since having a baby...

sat in a high chair for the first time...

and experienced his first birthday party {no cake for Jack Jack though}.

Jack continues to bring us great joy every day. There is a sweetness to him that I didn't know existed. I am sure all parents feel like this about their own children. We are so thankful that Jack is a part of our lives.

*I will be writing monthly updates of Jack with pictures of Jack and the Tonka truck on the 11th of each month. One Month Old. Two Months Old. Three Months Old. Four Months Old. Five Months Old. Six Months Old.