You are SO close to being able to crawl. You push yourself up, putting your weight onto your hands, then press your toes into the ground. Finally, you make it into the crawl position with your knees on the ground. You rock and wobble, trying desperately to coordinate your arms and legs enough to propel you forward, then either lurch ahead, face hitting the floor, or collapse with exhaustion on your belly, yelling with frustration.
Breastfeeding didn't come easily to you and I. For the first six weeks of your little life, we worked hard at it. It was painful, upsetting and very, very difficult. Then, finally and suddenly, it was easy. I am in wonder of the fact that my body can provide you with such nutrition and comfort. I love the calmness and connection that breastfeeding brings us both. The work at the beginning was utterly worth it in the end.
I have taken many hundreds (thousands!) of photos of you since you were born. In many of those photos, you are in your Dad's arms. I often forget, however, to take photos of you and I together. So here we are - barely awake, early morning and still in our pyjamas, but happy - Mama and son.
Usually you clamber into our laps, only to use them as a launching ground for your next adventure. When you lean back against us, still and quiet, we know you are tired. Sometimes it's nice to just hold you without having you try to wriggle away.
Recently you've started to open, shut and turn the pages of your books, rather than just eating them.
Watching rehearsals for a cabaret we are taking to the Adelaide Fringe Festival in a couple of weeks' time. Our little mascot.
Just like your Dad, you HAVE to know what things are and how they work. Today a package arrived. You sat, intrigued, as it was opened. Your little brow furrowed at the sound of the bubble wrap as your Dad showed you how it popped. Then, as a new water bottle emerged, recognition! You love our water bottles and know exactly where to put your mouth on them. You launched yourself forward, crawling over your Dad's head in an attempt to catch your prize.
This week and next, I am doing small amounts of teaching at the Conservatorium and so, for the first time in your little life, we are apart for nearly three hours every day. Thankfully you are surrounded by a 'village' of people who adore you, and so you have had many loving arms to be held in while I am out each day. Today your Uncle Dan came over and you happily played with him, then fell asleep snuggled against him in the Ergo carrier while he played the piano.
Today you are 7 months old. You love solid food, milk feeds, long noisy kisses all over your face, sticking out your hand and foot for Cocoa to lick and grabbing yourself when I'm trying to change your nappy. You don't like long drives in the car, not being able to crawl forward, being dressed, having food taken away and sore gums. You can sit completely independently, and are becoming more and more mobile. You are desperate to crawl and find ways to move across a room surprisingly quickly.
You love to launch yourself into people's arms. You like to bang things to see what kind of noise they make, and enjoy opening and shutting books. Your favourite toys are anything that makes noise or that has an action-reaction function. Your favourite book is Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See? and your favourite song is Twinkle Twinkle. You happily offer a hand for Round and Round the Garden and cackle when we get to the end. You can say "Mama" and "Dada", and you know what they mean. You are amazing and we adore you.
I tried to have a sneaky frozen yoghurt. I even hid it behind my leg when I wasn't eating it. You caught me anyway, freezing mid-play to stare at the sweet treat I wasn't sharing with you.
Lately, you've been crying in your sleep a lot. Half a dozen times through the night you start to sniff, then quietly sob. Most of the time you eventually wake up wailing, only to be soothed by a cuddle and a feed. This is particularly unusual because you are so happy during the day - but then again, you are going through lots of changes. You're trying so hard to crawl, you are eating lots of new foods, teeth are pushing into your gums and trying to break through, and your little mouth is forming new sounds every day. Maybe it's all just a bit much sometimes. Don't worry - we're here to help you through, little love.
Out to breakfast, you greet Sam with by gnawing on the side of his head. He is less than impressed.
This is your face when I get to the "Up above the world so high" bit of Twinkle Twinkle Little Star.
A little while ago you began to show great interest in our food. You then started to take our food from our plates and stuff it into your mouth, and so we decided it might be time to start you on solids. Unsurprisingly, you LOVE food. We decided to skip the mush and purée stage with you and have moved straight to giving you foods in their original form and allowing you to feed yourself rather than being spoonfed. We also avoid giving you any kind of processed food. Yesterday, though, I bought my first jar of baby food. Granted, it was organic Bircher muesli using only fruit and oats, but it was very puréed and not exactly what you're used to. I mostly did it out of curiosity.
You hated it. I've never seen you react to food like that. I think it was possibly too sweet for you - you screwed up your face, again and again, and bashed your arm up and down on your high chair in disgust. You went back for more, about five times, but eventually just refused to consider eating it.
Point taken.
At yum cha today you stared longingly at all the food, not satisfied with the water you were given in a little teacup. Eventually Grandma suggested some silky soft tofu, which you devoured with gusto.
The day we returned from Stradbroke, Jamie was THE FUNNIEST PERSON IN THE WORLD according to Josh. Perched on his pile of clean laundry, he laughed and laughed.
You, your Dad and I arrive at one of our favourite cafes early on this Saturday morning and choose our favourite spot - the bench seat by the window. There, you let us eat breakfast and chat while you sit contentedly and stare out the big window at the cars, trucks and bikes driving along the main road.
This afternoon you and I returned home after four days away. You were very grumpy and tired when we got in, but as soon as you saw your Dad that all changed.
Looking at your skin as you feed I am struck by how fair you are. Before you were born I was impatient to know what you would look like. I spent so much time imagining your hair, your face, your eyes - but I always presumed you would have the same olive skin as your father. After all, you are a quarter Chinese! Instead, you have this milky white, porcelain skin. It is breathtakingly soft, and begs to be kissed. Thankfully you love kisses, and happily press your cheek against the lips of anyone who will offer them.
In an attempt to get you to sleep for at least some of the night and day in your cot next to our bed (instead of IN our bed) we have introduced a cuddly toy. I tuck it between us when you feed, hoping that you will associate it with comfort and safety. When you drift off I gently extract my arm, which you so love to cling to, and replace it with your teddy. I feel conflicted about this. All three of us sleep so badly when you are in our bed, so I know it is the sensible option, but at the same time I know that the time where you will look to me for so much comfort and safety is fleeting.
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