Gillen Azar: SEVEN MONTHS

Dearest Gil,

Giggles.

All day long from the moment you wake up until the moment you go to sleep. Full-on belly laughs for everyone, but you find Owen especially hilarious. I remember with Owen your Daddy and I used to sit around with wish for a giggly baby. He was very serious your brother, so much so that we brought our concerns to the pediatrician only to be told that perhaps we just weren't that funny. YOU have proven her wrong! According to you, every person in this house is absolutely hysterical.

And all these giggles continue even on days when you are teething. You still only have the one tooth which is fully in and makes you look like a pirate or a lumber jack with your one-toothed gummy smile. But there is so much drool and everything goes in your mouth. You love teethers and I try to always have one with me.

We've tried a few solid foods over the past month. Sweet potato puree and oatmeal. Neither of which you were interested in. You grab at anything we are eating and love to gum on banana/celery/toast but when I tried to spoon feed you, you push everything out of your mouth. You won't even open up and dribble slobbery food down into your many, many chins which is next to impossible to clean out. Meanwhile Owen sits beside you saying, "He doesn't like that, Mama! He's spitting it out!" So as not to stress out your brother, or myself, I'm backing off for a while. You have plenty of milk and are growing beautifully. You'll eat when you're ready.

You are wearing 12 month clothing now, which sadly is getting snug. You wore a sweater the other day that your brother wore for his one year pictures. You're just... thicker. You burnt the motor out on your swing this week, thankfully we had a replacement motor in the basement but honestly? It's not going to last much longer. I continue to juggle you from the cosleeper/my bed/the swing all night long hoping for a few extra hours. You've been better this past week, sleeping from 830-130, sometimes even till 3am and then not waking again until 530. Let me tell you, that extra sleep feels awesome.

You started babbling, "Ma Ma Ma Ma" and it's so adorable. Daddy swears you're not trying to say "Mama" but I'm going to keep on hoping that you are. You give us big open mouthed slobbery kisses and your face lights up when we sing or you hear our CD from music class.

Your hair is still red and the new hair growing is also red. I never in a million years imagined I'd have a ginger baby. And definitely not a ginger boy! I adore your hair. You have your Daddy's eyes and his long toes, but your hair screams that you are MY child. Whenever we are out people comment on our hair and it makes me so giddy inside. I know it doesn't matter what color your hair ultimately turns out to be - but I find myself wishing and hoping it stays red.

I love you, happy boy.

Mama