seven months

New Brie stuff (wow! I write that so often!):

-Brigid is now very adapt at pulling herself into a standing position, as long as she can get a good grip on something to pull on. And she's so pleased with herself once she's standing. The look on her face says, "See what I did? Aren't you proud of me?"

-"Mamamamamaaaa!" That's Brie's distressed wail whenever she wants me. So, am I "Mama" because that's what mothers have always been called, or have mothers always been called "mama" because it's the perfect wail of distress?

-"complicated", that's how our friend Bill described one of Brigid's recent looks. And he's right. Brie's getting more self-aware, and you can see it in her face. She knows she's her and not us, and that she doesn't necessarily have to do what we expect her to (oh boy!).

-fingers and thumbs! Brigid's getting good at the pincer grip.

-cookies! Brie's started eating solid solid food, in the form of Arrowroot cookies. And more and more often, we're sneaking her "real people food" from our plates, little pieces at a time.

-separation anxiety. Yeah, it was happening before, but it's on overdrive now. About half the time she doesn't even want ADAM to hold her - she wants Mom. She's my own little barnacle.

-scooting? She can still go backwards and in circles, but she is now beginning to understand that forward happens when she pushes with her feet. I've noticed this is more likely to happen when she's barefoot (she usually has socks on due to the weather) because she has more traction. So now we strip her down a bit for tummy time, to give her a better chance at mobility. She still prefers to be sitting or standing, but often ends up on her tummy because she wants to reach for a toy.

-waving? She waved back at my sister today when Laurel waved at her. We'll see if it takes.


And she's still herself. She delights at motion - dancing, being tossed, being carried - at people and at being outside. She's seems high-strung when I compare her to all the other babies around here (sorry, sweetheart, you probably got it from me), but she also seems friendlier (there's her dad in her) and more interested in the world. I think she's going to be creative.

And she has the best smile in the world (barring her dad's). Many people have commented that she's going to devestate the guys when she's older, because of her coy, irresistable smile. Her eyes brighten and her cheek dimples and you want nothing more in the world than to love her always. Hooray for Brigid Elizabeth!