Seven Months

I know that I say this every month, but I can hardly believe that the babies are seven months old already. I have relived their birthday so many times in my head that it seems like only yesterday that we brought them into the world. In some ways it feels like a lifetime ago but in most ways, it feels like it has all happened in a blink of an eye.

Dear Chick,

You are so very bright and so smart.  Everyone who meets you says so.  Your big, blue eyes sparkle with excitement when you play, when we go shopping and when you see Daddy coming home from work. You can manipulate most toys with ease and find it so entertaining to use your thumbs to spin things.
You have developed a love for your jumparoo this month and any time we slip your pudgy legs through it, you hold on and bounce your little heart out.  You are so very strong.
While the jumparoo certainly gets a lot of your attention, your favorite toy this month is the "play" remote control.  You absolutely love sticking the entire bottom half into your mouth and you love playing with the buttons.  
Atop your head sprouts fine, strawberry blond hair and after six months of baldness, it is a welcome sight.  While I certainly have no intention of turning you into a (gag) princess, I am looking forward to playing with your hair.
Always the vocal girl, your laugh has really matured this month.  You are giggling more and more at the silliest things and we love every second of it.  Your laugh, like your brother's, is infectious.  You spend a great deal of time chit chatting with your bears, with your toys, and with us.  If only we knew what you were saying.  You know the words "cat", "milk" and "cookie" when I say them and you know the sign for "milk" when I make it with my hands.
Having your face washed after a meal is so beneath you and you share your disgust for it with us by crying and whining every single time we approach you with a washcloth.  Having Daddy and me in your sight is very important and if we leave for only a moment (say, to use the washroom, to go to a different room in the house, etc.) you cry until we come back into full view.
You have finally mastered rolling from front to back and from back to front and are showing the beginning signs of wanting to use your knees to move around.  You still dislike being on your belly, but it seems as though you are realizing that it just may be the key to mobility.
Your favorite foods this month include finger lengths of bread and mashed bananas.  You are a messy eater...a very messy eater.  After every bite of food, you stick your right hand into your mouth and then smear the food everywhere.  
We are still watching intently for any signs of teeth in your mouth.  We are sure they will sprout soon.

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Dear Pea,
You are an incredibly social and happy boy.  Everyone who meets you wants to be your friend and becomes enveloped in your wide-mouthed smile.  You exude happiness.  You like to flirt with that beautiful smile at all the people we meet when we are out and about.  Your eyes sparkle in a way that makes people want to love you.
You love rolling all over the carpet with newspaper or tissue paper.  You have a plethora of toys, but paper suits your fancy just fine.  Mommy and Daddy watch while you rip shreds of paper and drop them everywhere like a trail to find you.  Watching your sister play has become a very entertaining game for you.  I imagine you will be a people watcher like your Mommy.
In all of this, your favorite game to play is the "Run Up and Kiss" game.  While Daddy is holding you, Mommy runs far away, then runs toward you and plants a BIG kiss on your cheek.  As I run toward you, your arms and legs begin to flail in excitement and then you giggle as the big kiss gets planted.  You could do this for hours, I'm sure.  So could we.
You are thiiiiis close to crawling and you make Mommy shriek every time you lift your belly up off the floor and rock back and forth on your hands and knees.  It's only a matter of time before you are totally mobile and, while I can't wait, I realize that my life will become VERY busy then. 
Although you can sit fairly well unassisted (you still topple every now and then) you really don't enjoy it very much.  You would much rather stand while we hold your hands.  We think you like the vantage point of standing.  You can see over everything that way.
You are a great little eater and love just about everything we have introduced to you.   Chicken and beef have not been hits yet, but eventually we'll turn you into a pork-a-tarian like your Dad.  Your most favorite foods this month include oatmeal with apples and anything with bananas.  After every meal, Mommy brushes your two bottom teeth with apple and banana toothpaste and you look forward to that every time.  You love to suck on the toothbrush afterward.
Like your sister, you know the sign for "milk" and you know the words "cookie" and "cat".  You love Bear.  Sometimes you love Bear a little too much and end up with fists full of fur, but Bear is tolerant and never lets on that he is bothered.  You look for Bear when I say "cat" and love to watch him walk around the house.  You and he will be great friends some day.

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Happy Birthday, babies!  We love you!