7 Months!

Bubbly Matine,

I am amazed how fast time has gone. I shouldn't say "gone." I feel like we have truly not allowed any single moment of your life to "go" anywhere. I am certain I annoy the family and your dad by making sure that every grunt, giggle, smile, movement and bowel movement is noted and acknowledged. But, hey, that's what Mom is supposed to do, right.


But alas, you are growing up so fast! You are such a quick learner. I think it is attributed to your need to examine everything - persons and things- with so much intensity. By the time you have stared it down, touched every object in every possible way, listened to the noice it makes - you then have it all figured out. You approach every learning opportunity with such excitement too. Everything seems so fascinating to you... Most of all right now it's your very own hands. You seem to have the patience of Job already (something you clearly didn't inherit from me). You can play and play and play for well over an hour - all by yourself on the floor. You have a bowl of toys that we set in front of you. You will carefully take one at a time out - play with it, touch it, "bang" it on the floor, on your hand, on another toy. You use your growing "scooting" and inching skills to move all over the room. You aren't crawling yet, but you have all the mechanics down pat. It's only a matter of time before you take off. Each minute I see progress - literally. It is amazing how fast you develop.


Your voices and verbal silliness is one of the things I love most right now. You clearly "talk" to us. You love little conversations, trying to mimic our faces, and making silly bubbles, raspberries, and grunts. As dainty as you can seem little girl, you have got some pipes on you! Usually when we are in a quiet store or restaurant you will belt out a long, gutteral, raspy "ahhhhhhhhhh." You are clearly trying to see how long you can hold your "word" and love to see us react to you. You also will do this to complete strangers across the room who look at you and say hi. It must be your "hi" back. It's not subtle. Will this be your personality in the days to come too?

This month you have developed a new trick. You think it's so fun to do a "genie head bob" when you laugh. You make an almost sneezing noise while at the same time throwing your chin to your chest, your head forward, and blinking your eyes (Very much like the witch in I Dream of Genie)! I was a bit worried (for a day) it was a "tick," but I have noticed it is very deliberate and you do it when you are wanting to make someone laugh. You are just a very silly girl, pretty much all waking hours of the day.

You are so observant. Did I say that? Nothing get's past you. You notice every movement the dogs make, every picture on a wall. When we read your favorite book at the moment, "Moo, Baa, La La La" you patiently wait for every page to be turned, laughing with each animal sound we make... You anticipate each moment of the story. You love animal noises and are starting to put together that "Woof Woof" comes out of your dogs.


Your hair. You are still just a little baldy with some fuzz all over. It is definitely growing, but nice and slow. Your dad and I are glad. We love, love, love your soft fuzzy head. It is our favorite place to nuzzle. You are starting to grow a little Kewpie Doll curl right on the top, almost a little mohawk.

Teeth. Bless your heart, we are starting your orthodontic fund now. It's normal to develop the two front or bottom teeth first. Not our little vampire. Your INCISORS and molars are coming in first. Ouch and yikes. They are painful and the last couple of weeks you have definitely been bothered by them. A little Tylenol here and there has helped and you continue to hardly fuss or cry --- and you LOVE your Tylenol dropper and chewing on the sugary drug (don't worry, I let you chew on the SEALED bottle... I am not letting you self medicate quite yet).


We have settled into such a fun routine here with our little family. Your eager dad LOVES to see you right when you wake up. I have never seen anyone bounce out of bed so willingly than when he hears your little babble from your room each morning. He excitedly greets you, kisses you and brings you to bed with us. Your nurs and cuddle and get all warm. We then play with you in bed... Laughing and watching you start your engine for the day. The dogs join us too and always have plenty of kisses to share with you.

Your days have been filled with floor time these last 2 months. You love to sit up and then be on your belly and side and back... Scooting and rolling. Playing with your toes and shaking and banging your toys. You like to roll and scoot to places in the living room that get you in precarious positions. You think it's hilarious to get all but your head under the couch or ottoman. When you get off the rug and onto the slick wood floors, you will spin and twirl on your belly. Also hilarious for us to watch. You very rarely get frustrated with the learning process of crawling. Not once have you belted out crying because you get "stuck" or to a place where you don't' want to "crawl" anymore. You figure it out and problem solve every little movement, toy or place you get yourself into. Baby, I hope you stay such a patient thinker.


You are still just as mellow and happy as can be. It is RARE when you even fuss for a minute. Even rarer when you cry. This is why your "fangs" and teething just break my heart. I can see you fighting tears - you don't want to cry - but I can see it hurts you. Even with your unfortunate teething you are a JOY to be around, every single minute.

All of your grandparents are nutty about you. They enjoy just watching you play, learn, love. You are so lucky to have so many people that love you. They are also pretty fortunate to get to spend so much time with you. I know their presence in your life will help make you the person you will become- in so many good ways. To be showered with adoration, love and support from day-one. I believe this will make you feel secure, confident and never alone your entire life.

It's still nearly impossible for me to articulate in words what I feel for you, for being a mother. My heart continues to overflow with joy, wonder, happiness, elation at every single moment of being with you. When I take the occasional errand on my own or go out for coffee with friends... It's only a few hours, but I feel like an appendage has been removed. You are more a part of me than I ever imagined.


I never want to forget what it feels like to sit quietly and smile and laugh back and forth. To share those simple moments of just staring at each other, feeling your soft perfect head, holding your beautiful hands and seeing you experience life, moment by moment. You are perfection. There is nothing more beautiful on the Earth than your laugh, your smile, your noises. You are loved little girl. You are loved more than you will ever know. I just hope that as life happens, as you grow older, have your own busy life or trials down the road (a long way down the road) that all this love we feel for you, that all this faith we have in your abilities and potential, that you feel it all- that deep down you see what we see. You are perfect just the way you are, you can do anything, everything you touch is amazing and better because you were a part of it. We see all this and so much more.

It is about 3 weeks to Christmas... your FIRST Christmas! I have a sneaking feeling that you might just figure out once and for all how to crawl over to that beautiful twinkling Christmas tree before the big day!

Mattie John, thanks for making me a mama... It's the greatest job I have ever had. Thanks for being so perfectly YOU. We can't get enough of you in a day... All we want for Christmas are more days of soaking in your sweetness.