Holland 7 Months

I would say that one of Holland's most defining characteristics at 7 months old is that she has taken a huge interest in toys! I guess you could say that mainly she just likes entertainment. She loves toys of all shapes and sizes. She doesn't have complete control over her hands yet though so it is sad when she whacks herself in the face with a rattle or something.

Holland also loves music and the swing. And her big sisters playing with her and getting in her face. Her ideal situation is plenty of milk, being in the swing, music on, sisters playing with her, and a toy in her hand. Oh and being well rested.

That is a painful subject though. She has given us a hard time recently with naps. Hard time is an understatement. She doesn't want to take any naps!! Actually what she wants is to nurse to sleep and for me to just hold her while she sleeps, so if she stirs at all, she can immediately begin sucking. She is quickly going from our easiest baby to our most challenging. Whew! We all still adore her though. How could we not? I mean, come on! Look at that face!

I don't know if it is my imagination, but I swear she already has stranger anxiety. She doesn't like being held by people she doesn't know. This is a problem because at the gym she just cries and cries. Maybe this is because she wants to nap during this time. My exercise schedule has really taken a nose dive. I don't know what to do about it either. I am trying to get her on a schedule, but that often means napping all morning. Like today. She went down for her nap at 8 am and at 11:20 she is still asleep. I hate exercising in the afternoon because there are no classes and I have to be home to get Ellie from school. And of course, exercising in the evening is out of the question. We already feel like our evenings are really packed! Anyway, that $75 a month gym membership might be getting put on hold until Holly makes it more reasonable to go.

Of course she is worth it though. I love her little giggle! She is slowly moving away from the cough laugh to more of a giggle. She sure giggles when she is tickled. It is adorable!

Holland rolled a lot at around six months, but she has kind of given up on the practice. There have been a few times though when she has lifted her tummy and bum off the ground while she was on tummy time. Getting slowly closer to crawling. I love that she is taking her time though! Stay little baby! She has been scooting backwards on her tummy though. She can make some pretty good distance!

I love that she still loves her feet so much. She sucks on her toes occasionally, which I love, but have yet to get a good photo of. She has started to recognize the movement of when we hold our arms out to her to pick her up. She often smiles and gets excited.

Other favorites: holding her ear while she nurses, hearing her sisters sing "I am a Child of God," baths and the sound of water, and a new favorite--being read to. Holland loves the baby faces book. If there is one thing that we could wish for her it is that she would take her pacifier again. Her life would be so much happier! When she is in a pinch though, Daddy's cheek will do. :)