Liam Piper- 7 Months Old

Dear My Sweet Liam,

Yesterday you turned 7 months old. Your Daddy and I can hardly believe that you have been with us that long, and then again, it feels like you have always been a part of our lives. You are such a blessing to us and you are so loved by everyone who meets you. You have the sweetest disposition and are just content almost all of the time. It is such a joy to care for you day in and day out!

At seven months, you are quite the busy boy! You have been busy rolling from your back to your belly and back again, and just this week you have started army crawling. It is amazing that from Monday to Saturday (today), you can get anywhere you want to! You can get into whatever toy you are interested in, and although it may take you a while to get there, you will surely wiggle yourself and use your arms to move from place to place. It is so much fun watching you discover how to move as your sister didn't like to be on her belly and didn't want to crawl ever! You can sit up, however, you don't like to do it for extended periods and seem to still get top heavy. We'll have to work on that and build up your core muscles. You are also learning to play peekaboo and pat-a-cake. Both games make you just giggle with joy!

This month it seems that you have really discovered your voice! Most of the time you are all smiles and sweet and quiet, but when you get into the mood, you can be quite loud! You coo and say "mamama," "dadada," "bababa," and other nondescript, baby noises! I know you don't know what you're really saying, but it still melts my heart to hear "Mamama" come out of your sweet mouth!

You got to go out of the state of Tennessee for the first time this past month! We spent a little over two weeks in New Orleans, LA with your Grandpa and Nana. On our way back home, we stopped to visit your Great Great Aunt Hazel and she got to meet you for the first time! So, come to think of it, you got to travel to & through quite a few states for the first time during that trip: Alabama, Georgia, Mississippi & Louisiana. That makes you quite the little traveler!

You have two bottom teeth now, and at your six month appointment, the doctor said your four top teeth were all working their way in. In fact, your front, center right tooth should be cutting through in just a matter of days! I think you might be a bit uncomfortable, but you really don't complain very much compared to what you could be!

You celebrated your first Thanksgiving just last week, and your very first Christmas is just a few weeks away! We'll have lots of family memories to make with you and Nora as we spend our first Christmas at home in Knoxville. The past few years we have been traveling during the holidays, but this year, we will get to sleep in our own beds and wake up on Christmas morning to open gifts under our own tree! Your stocking is on our mantle right next to Daddy's and Nora's. It's just wonderful to look and see that we are a family of four!

Oh, I can't forgeto mention that we had our first snow of the winter today! December 6, 2010: Liam's first snow day!

As far as food goes, you are still one hungry little (or should I say big) boy! You are still nursing every 3 hours or so during the day and have three "meals" a day (breakfast, lunch, and dinner). You typically have pears and oatmeal for breakfast. A vegetable and fruit at lunch, and rice cereal mixed with a veggie and some fruit for your supper. I don't think it will be too much longer before we start dropping some nursing feedings to replace them with formula. I don't think my milk is keeping you happy and full enough, so hopefully the formula will do the trick. We are just about to finish dropping your "dream feed" and you will hopefully not need it after just a few more nights. I have started giving you "puffs" every once and a while to get your used to finger foods! You really like to eat the puffs, but usually you get them when I place them in your mouth. You haven't quite grasped the pincer grasp yet! No rush though!

You take 2-3 naps a day. You aren't very predictable, so depending on how long your naps are and what we have scheduled for the day, you will get either 2 long naps or 3 decently-lengthed naps. Then, there are some days where you just don't nap very well at all. We have had several of those days this past week....I'm not sure what you've been up to, but part of me wonders if it is teething-related or if it's because of your new-found mobility and just growing alertness! You don't take your nighttime nap anymore. Once you wake from your nap before supper, you eat, play, take a bath, and hang out with the family until your bedtime which is around 8:30-8:45.

I am guessing that you weight around 19 lbs. You are officially in 9 month clothes, but it can still depend on the brand. You are definitely NOT petite like your sister was! Sweet heart, we cannot tell you enough how much we love you! You are such a joy! Please stop growing up so quickly!