Officially 7 months old!

To my dear Kiyomi bear!

Mommy cheated and posted your 6-month letter only last week, so it really seems like this month flew by!


I know I say this every month, but really, really, really, we can't believe how much you've grown!  We attribute this extra weight gain and better sleep to the fact that you're eating a lot of solids everyday, although you still protest off and on.  It's a little unpredictable, because some days, you'll eat without any complaints, and other days, you cry when you see a spoonful of food in front of you.  So far, you've eaten rice cereal, oat cereal, avocados, carrots, broccoli (you really really do not like broccoli... I try to hide broccoli in with rice cereal or yams, but you can taste the difference and try to push the food out of your mouth when I do that.  Sigh.), peas, banana, buttercup squash, Japanese yams (satsumaimo), and apples.  Apples are your guilty pleasure.  They're also a stopper.  We try not to give it to you too much!  The yams/squash combo seems to make your poop nice and solid, which has been nice for this cleanup crew.  Was that too much information? Your favourites are all pale-coloured...rice or oat cereal, Japanese sweet potato, banana, apple...all rather sweet-ish things.  You definitely do NOT like anything green (broccoli, avocado, peas), and are only slightly into carrots.  I am posting a photo of the lovely face you make when we feed you too many green things.

It's blurry...but you get the idea.

You had your first real trip to the park this month, and LOVED the swings!  You were rather impartial to the slide, but the swing definitely made you giggle.  You also loved to watch the other kids play on the jungle gym.  You tend to sleep really well after a trip to the park, which is nice for your mama and papa, who also enjoy naps after park outings.

You might not be able to tell, but you're happy and giggling.

Overnight, you regularly sleep a longest stretch of 6 hours, even with a smaller dream feed at 10pm.  We think the solids you're eating are staying in your tummy longer, so that you can sleep more soundly.  You're really settling into a pattern throughout the day, too, and are a champion sleeper, averaging around an hour each nap.  You barely ever cry, but when you do, it's usually because you're in a crowded area and aren't being held by mama or papa.  I think you feel overwhelmed or scared, but you stop crying as soon as we pick you up.

You are definitely sitting up on your own now, although you still tend to flop over if you get too excited or reach at a weird angle for a toy.  You also regularly roll over from your front to your back, but only to the right.  It's your strategy to get off your tummy, which is really a place you don't like to be.  In other play news, you have discovered that you love to hit objects together to make loud sounds.  You've also discovered how to scream, loudly, and will do it for fun while we change your diaper, or while you play.  We can tell that you're getting tired of your current toys, and you really want to play with anything mama or papa are holding.  Especially if it's plastic, and a suffocation hazard.  Sigh.  You have a strong grip and are sofast at grabbing things, so we really have to watch you carefully.

You smile and laugh really regularly now, but are happiest in the mornings.  Your papa goes in to get you, usually, and you greet him with a smile, giggles, and excited arm and leg flailing.  When you're in a good mood, you're ticklish around your neck and underarms.  When you're not in a good mood, you look at us quizzically as we attempt to tickle you, as if to say, "Why are there wiggling fingers attacking me?" But still, you really only laugh hysterically at home.  You're a cautious baby, and eye strangers suspiciously, but when you're relaxed and around people you know, you love to laugh.  You laugh the most when something surprises you, like when your Aunt Nami uses your stuffed bear to pop out of places.  You also laugh a lot when you zoom in really fast to something.  Your grandpa Osakabe likes to zoom you in, close to mama's face, and you giggle a lot at that.  Is my face funny?  :)

We still read books together, and you can sit patiently through around 3-4 books before you get bored and antsy.  You're getting very good at turning the pages, even though it's usually for the purpose of attempting to bring said book to your mouth.

We think you're the bees knees!  Almost every night, your dad and I share photos of you that we've taken on our phones and marvel at how cute you are.  We love love love love love you!

Love,

Your mama and papa