you are seven months old {dear beautiful little lady}

Dear Ashlyn Quinn

I'm going to bypass the bit where I talk about how quickly time seems to be flying and that you seem to be growing up so fast before our very eyes. I'm pretty sure that I'll get those same feelings with every passing month... and passing year. And this month has been so full of exciting developments for you, new milestones to tick off and things you've learned. 

This past month has really been all about weaning as we've started to introduce you to some solid foods. The whole thing has been exactly how I expected, and at the same time it hasn't been. Your big brother and sister took to solid food really quickly and we progressed from those first tastes to three meals a day really quickly, experience was telling me that this would be fun and easy. This really hasn't been the case with you at all. In the weeks leading up to you turning six months I kind of knew that it was going to be a bit different with you, you just didn't seem in the slightest bit interested in food. And disinterest has continued to be a major theme. Some days you seem keen to eat what's offered up, but mostly you aren't really fussed. And you are still eating really quite small portions; definitely more of a taster than a meal. But I'm not too worried about it, I'm happy to follow your lead and just see how we go with it all. I know that at some point it will just click and you'll turn into a little piggy, but there isn't any hurry. And from the look of your cheeks and your thighs, you aren't going to waste away any time soon. 

In your last letter I talked about how you were 'starting' to sit, and you're definitely improving all the time. You can sit independently for longer now, although we still surround you with cushions as you tend to get overexcited and throw yourself over. It really does make me smile to see you sitting up though, and to see you reaching for toys and exploring the world around you a little more. It can be kind of bittersweet because it feels like you were only born five minutes ago, but seeing the world through your eyes really is magical.

Another thing I mentioned last month was that you had finally mastered rolling onto your tummy, and my goodness has the rolling gone from strength to strength this past month. You are EVERYWHERE! In fact I think part of the reason you are still a bit wobbly with your sitting, is because you would much rather me horizontal. You roll around, and drag yourself along on your tummy, and have kind of mastered a backwards crawl; so something tells me that we'll have a crawler on our hands in the not too distant future. I think having big siblings who are always on the go is giving you a big incentive to get moving for yourself.

You are really happy to simply entertain yourself on a playmat on the floor now that you're mobile. And as long as there are a selection of toys within rolling distance you'll shuffle around on the floor for the longest time just happy in your own little world. Honestly, you are just so contented and - dare I say it - easy! Everybody that meets you comments on how chilled out and happy you are, and it makes me beyond proud the way that you just smile for everyone. People just seem to fall in love with you at first sight with your big wide smile and that cheeky little twinkle in your eye.

Your smile has begun to change a bit lately. Because you now have four little teeth that have made an appearance; two on the top and two on the bottom. The bottom two are clear for all to see now, but the top two have only just cut through and it'll only really be when they start to show that your smile will really change. I'm trying not to be too sad about seeing the end of your gummy grins. I remember feeling so upset with your older brother and sister when their first teeth came through and their smiles changed, but it seems so weird to think about that now given that I love their big toothy grins so much. So I guess it isn't so much that I'm sad to see your teeth appearing, just that I'm in a bit of disbelief that the gummy smile phase is nearly over already. And I'm thanking my lucky stars that teething has been pretty plain sailing for you, and after the first one made you a bit unsettled for a day or so, the others have appeared with no trouble. 

Having had a bit of an unsettled month with sleep last month, things have calmed down again this month (I think it was that first tooth that caused the trouble!) We have a lovely little bedtime routine in place now and you settle really well. We have dinner all together around 5:30pm, then it's bath time for all you kiddos. I get you out a little earlier than the other two so that you can have a massage before I put you in your jimjams. Then you have a little wriggle in the bedroom while I get the other two ready. We all sit together for a story, which is always one of my favourite times of day. It's so calm and quiet and we are all snuggled up together enjoying a book. You love story time, and will flap your hands at the pages and wiggle around really excitedly in my lap when I turn to a new page. Then you have "sissy cuddles" which basically means you have a cuddle in each of the bigger two's beds and then we say goodnight to them at 7pm, and head to the bedroom to have your last feed of the day. 

I love that feed in the peace and quiet of the bedroom. It's the only time of day that you really feed for a long time, and it's like you're stocking up for the night ahead. The late afternoon light glows through the curtains and it gradually gets darker and turns to evening as we snuggle together. I love watching your eye lids grow heavier and your eyes roll back in that milk drunk way, and I watch your cheeks twitch as you feed. You get heavier and heavier in my arms until you drift off to sleep and then I'll pop you in your bed by 8pm. Some nights you wake in the night between 3 and 4am, and some nights your sleep through until about 6 in the morning. And then at 6am you come into bed with us for that first feed and normally you fall back to sleep until we wake you up to go on the school run. I honestly feel so blessed that you love to sleep so much. You are certainly living up to the meaning of your name Ashlyn... my little dream baby. 

Summer seems to be arriving and you definitely love nothing better than to lie on a picnic blanket in the shade and watch the clouds race by. I'm so excited to see you enjoy more and more outdoor adventures over the coming months, as an Autumn baby your whole life so far has been wrapped up warm and stuck indoors a lot of the time. But you grin from ear to ear when there is a breeze in your face, and you love sticking your fingers in the grass and touching flower petals, so I think it's going to be a real summer of discovery for you. And I'm so excited to watch you.

I love you my little Quinny, more than words can ever really say.

mummy xxx

You can read her letters from months one, two, three, four, five and six by following the links.

A seventh month in photos...

And finally, if you haven't already voted and are looking for someone to vote for then this cute little baby face managed to get us into the final for Best Baby Blog category in the MAD Blog Awards, and I would absolutely LOVE your vote. We're loving sharing our baby days here and are so thrilled to be a finalist. You can vote by clicking the link below.