7 1/2 months

You just amaze me every day. You have been saying mama, dada, hi and bye. You don't say them perfectly or regularly, but we definitely hear them.

You are working on some other words, too, like hat, duck, ball, and book.

Your receptive language is quite good now, too. Earlier today I said "Come to mama" and you immediately began working your way toward me. You also open wide when we say "banana," you recognize the words for most of your favorite foods, for the cat, and for all the people you love. You look forward to kisses and nursing.

You can get lots of places on your own. You can crawl just about anywhere in the house, and in the living room, you can stand and walk around the coffee table and the couch and chair as long as you can hold on and reach.

You help us by lifting your legs when we change your diaper and by putting your arms in sleeves. You open your mouth for nearly any food, although bananas and bread are probably your favorites. You would like to try almost everything we eat. You stare at food as it goes to our mouths.

You are, at this moment, trying to help me type... I'd better go.

Banner day

Wow, you're amazing. You started off the day by sucking on your toe for the first time. Then you tried to climb onto the counter at Grandma's house. You said "hi" to the cat. When Boompah said "Bye," you said "Bah." Later you said "Mom," and Grandma turned to you and started to say "Gosh, it sounded just like you said 'Mom...'" when she realized you were staring at a picture of me. And then you crawled all the way across the couch on your hands and knees, the first time you've ever crawled like that. Apparently you just had a developmental leap today! Congratulations, and thanks for adding "Mom" to your vocabulary. You have no idea how happy it makes me.