Dear Nolan: 7 months

Dear Nonie,

Nolan, Nonie, Nolie, No No, Nolan Hank, Rollin’ Nolan, Baby Boy, Yittle Buddy, I think that’s about a complete list of the names you go by these days, at the beginning of December you turned seven months old.  It seems with each child my monthly letters to you get written later and later.  It is now Christmas Eve and although there are still eight million things to do before we pack you guys up and head to Busha and Papa’s for our celebration, I told your Dad I HAD to sit down and write this today, because if I don’t you will turn eight months before I find the time to do it.

This has been a big month for you in terms of developmental milestones and “firsts” (I have a feeling I’ll be saying that a lot over these next several months.)  Shortly after you turned six months old we started you on rice cereal.   We started you on food a little later than the other boys for a couple of reasons.  For one, you didn’t seem to be quite as interested as early as they were, but mostly it was because right around six months you got sick and I wanted you to get your calories from breast milk, rather than rice cereal to hopefully kick the bug.  Shortly after you started eating cereal you got sick again and because you hadn’t been sleeping well since we started you on it we pulled you off.  It was the day you turned seven months that we started with the rice cereal for a second time and also added your first veggie, peas!  Which you hated.  And we hated as well because for two nights straight you were up all night long crying and generally uncomfortable.  It seems adding food to your diet has caused a flare up in your reflux.  So once again we stopped with all the food.  And guess what?  You started sleeping again.  We just recently started you back on food, this time oatmeal, and it seems to be going a bit better.  This whole thing has reminded me once again that every child is so different.  While your big brothers ate like champs from the get-go and never had problems with it, you have struggled a bit.

Last month I mentioned that you were working on sitting by yourself.  Well, this month you mastered that little milestone.  You love, love, love that you are finally able to really join the mix with your brothers.  While you aren’t able to play with the things they are playing with yet, you don’t care as long as you can sit there with them. I love that you are able to sit by yourself because you are much happier sitting up then being on your back or tummy all day long.

This month you also celebrated your first Thanksgiving.  Busha had bought you a new “My First Thanksgiving” bib that Mommy forgot to wash up for the big day, but I guess that’s okay because you slept through your first Thanksgiving meal anyway.  We spent the holiday at home with Papa and Busha.  It was a very special day for our family as we are so thankful to be back home, so thankful that we are all together, safe and healthy.  As we sat at the table and said what we were thankful for, we decided you would likely list Sophie the Giraffe (your teether) and Larry the Lion (your stuffed animal).

At seven months old you love bath time and your exersaucer.  Your favorite toys are actually two of Mommy’s old toys that Mimi brought up for you, a bobble clown and a Fisher Price rocking ball that has horses on it that bob up and down and jingle when you rock it.  You are still passionate about your hate for your car seat.  You wear size 6-9 month clothes and size two diapers and when I change you, you like to kick your legs out as hard as possible.  When I act surprised you laugh to your heart’s delight.  We could play this game for hours.  You love surprising Mama and I love to hear your laugh. I look forward to hearing that laugh for so many more months.

All my love,

Mama