7 months

14lbs 9oz, 27.5 in

I realize these monthly posts are only interesting to me and perhaps L's Grandmothers, but I know I'll be happy to look back on them one day and read details about each stage of her infancy. After all, this blog has become her virtual baby book.

But if these guys aren't your jam, I understand. Maybe give this one, this one or this one a try and check back later for something that better suits your fancy.

So, seven months! This girl continues to ride the 11th percentile curve for weight. Keane and I used to joke far before becoming parents that our children were going to be the skinniest, most awkward adolescents on the block (on most blocks, in fact). Given the fact that Keane only weighed 25 pounds at five years old, and I used to belt my sweatpants just to keep them up, I think it's safe to say Liv is taking after us. It's a blessing and a curse, baby girl.

This month L perfected her crawl, and sister can book it! Her favorite things to get to are the dogs and anything that isn't a toy. I actually wonder why we bother with toys because she'd much rather play with a sock, hairbrush or bag of pasta.

Also new this month, standing! I mentioned it in an earlier post but her new favorite activity is pulling up on anything (a dresser, our legs, the dogs). She doesn't enjoy playing sitting down anymore so she's always looking for a way to get vertical.

We also made some headway with L's sleep last month. For a few weeks she was waking up 10 times a night (every 20 minutes for the first couple hours and then every 1-2 hours after that). The only way she would go back down was if I nursed her. I knew she didn't really need to eat and was just using me for comfort so we tried everything to break the habit. Keane would bounce her on the ball, offer her the pacifier and pat her bum, but it only made her more angry. After a while of this, I'd take a turn, walking laps around the pitch dark house while trying to keep my cool. Her blood-curdling scream would sometimes last for hours, at which point I'd give in and feed her because enough time had passed that she should have been hungry. The minute she would start nursing, she'd fall asleep. She was playing us like a fiddle and I was going insane.

We consulted a sleep specialist who gave me the added confidence I needed to stick with our method. I will probably never be comfortable with letting L cry alone in her room. She is very stubborn and I know the crying would go on for hours. I do however, believe she needs to learn to self soothe so we spent a few nights letting her cry with us for as long as it took without nursing, and eventually she slept. It was a struggle and I'm sure it won't the be last time we deal with sleep regressions like this, but as least we have a plan in place if we need it.

I've also stopped nursing her to sleep for naps and bedtime. I realized I needed to break her association between eating and sleeping so now we practice the eat, play, sleep routine and it's worked well for us.

Her sweet little personality is unfolding right before our eyes and I consider myself lucky to get to spend my days with her. She is such fun.

 K says she's the coolest person he knows and I couldn't agree more!