My Dearest Belle,
You are seven months old! I’m a few days late in writing this letter - the 26th came and went in the blink of an eye.
Time continues to fly by, and it seems like the only way I can enjoy some semblance of pausing it - even for a moment - is to take as many photos and videos of you as I can. With each passing month, you’re hitting milestone after milestone, and I cannot be more proud of you! Watching you grow is so bittersweet: on one hand, I swell with pride that you’re progressing so well in your development; on the other hand, there are moments when it hits me that I can’t cradle you like I used to, and I feel a pang of sadness.
You are so much more mobile now, too! When you crawl (if you can even call it crawling), you always look like you’re in a hurry to get places. If it was up to you, I would swear that you would prefer to just stand and walk to wherever it is you’re huffing and puffing to get to. This also means that taking your monthly pictures was no walk in the park. Usually, I would put you in the rocker, place the monthly markers around you, and snap as many pictures as I needed. Today was a completely different story:
So I tried more creative means:
But that still didn’t work.
So, I had to resort to the high chair to finally get some decent photos of you. That doesn’t mean you didn’t try to grab the blocks or even push them off the tray, but some well hidden crackers (i.e., bribes) did the trick!
You also started showing interest in pulling yourself to standing. First it was just on my legs, but soon, you started reaching higher and higher. Now, you’re able to pull yourself to standing like it’s nothing!
Your daily schedule is set now, and Papa and I are fully in the groove of things. It’s still not easy waking up and caring for you by myself on the weekends, but I absolutely look forward to waking you up every morning. Your bedhead, swollen eyes, and beautiful smile… it is, hands down, the best way to start my day.
Thank you for always putting a smile on my face. Thank you for living up to your name and being the best promise God has kept in my life. Thank you for being you, my little Peanut.
Love always,
Mama