Day Fourteen Hundred and Seventy-Eight

The Seventh Month of Millie

My Little Amelia,

You are just the happiest, brightest, most adorable and well-mannered baby I (and everyone else) have ever met. I can't get over how sweet and cute and precious and gentle you are. I hear it all the time about how "lucky I am." That you're so easy and so flexible. Now, I've only ever been a mommy to you, but I can say for sure that I am extremely blessed to have you in my life. I don't know if luck plays into it, but girl, if there's one thing I am...it's definitely blessed.

One of my most favorite things about you is how happy you are. I absolutely melt over your laugh and the way you wake up in the morning. Those first "Dada" words you utter after your 10-hour snoozes are the best, and you do it with this gigantic grin on your face that just lights up my morning.  And then, when you finally roll over to find Daddy there, the squeal you let out...I don't know if there's a sound I could possibly love more! It's just the best! 

You're still sleeping in Mommy and Daddy's bed, which all of us enjoy. You sleep better. I sleep better. And that obviously means that Dad sleeps better too. Your bed time is usually somewhere between 11:30-midnight (thank you baseball), but you always sleep through the night and rise somewhere between 10:30-11:30. I feed you probably 5-6 times a night, but you never wake up, which is a HUUUUGE blessing. Thank you, Baby! You just continue on snoozing while kicking your legs and shaking your head, and that's when I know you're hungry! So, I flip you over, let you eat, and then go back to sleep myself like nothing happened! It's a great setup we've got going and in all reality, it'll probably break my heart when you grow up and have to sleep in your own bedroom! Ha! Oh, also, we still have you swaddled up in your little cocoon sack, which you - at this point - basically need to go to sleep. I'm not sure how we're going to break you of this little habit, but...I'll save that for another day!

Ok, so the BIGGEST news of the month was that at 6 months old and 29 days, you CRAWLED for the first time. You and I were down in the family room at Marlins Park (for the first time), just checking it out, meeting the nannies, and playing with the few kids that were there while Daddy was sitting through the seventh inning upstairs. We put you on the ground with a few new toys in front of you - with other children running and crawling around - and with a little encouragement, you just took off! And Millie, let me tell you, I've never felt so proud! It was a moment I'll never forget and though I did feel a little guilty that Daddy wasn't present to see you take those first few steps, I most definitely got it on camera, which is a close second! 

I mean, he knew it was bound to happen at some point in the near future. You'd been doing the downward dog yoga pose for a few weeks by then and also sitting up from your tummy to your bum. It was just a matter of time before you put it all together! I think it's fitting that it happened at the baseball field - during a baseball game. That's our little trooper!

So this month, we were at home a lot. Thank you Jesus, for that break. We sure needed it. You and I have become quite the traveling duo, and though we have a lot of fun, we're pretty worn out by now. But with several off days (including one on Mommy and Daddy's Fourth Anniversary) and multiple home series, we recouped and were able to then manage a trip to New York City and Washington, D.C.! Daddy and I took you to Times Square - which totally overwhelmed all of us - and then you and I watched Dad shutout the Mets in seven innings against Bartolo Colon (the same day you made your television debut), after experiencing the subway for the very first time! It was a too-quick trip the the Big Apple, filled with overpriced fares, food, and fashion, but it was worth the hassle, most definitely. From NYC, we took a train to DC, which is easily our new preferred and favorite mode of transportation. It was both of our first times on a train, but we could totally get used to it! So roomy and spacious and cozy and safe! I wish we could ride trains like that more often! Although, we could certainly do without the pre-boarding sprint from our bumper-to-bumper-stuck-in-traffic-Uber to the train station that was 6 blocks away! 

Amelia, I don't think I'll ever have enough words to tell you just how much you mean to me. You've brought Dada and I joy upon joy and we're so very thankful for your little life and your big personality. We love you endlessly and treasure you dearly. Your toothless smile and sticky toes make us the happiest parents ever. We love your demeanor, your patience, your flexibility, and your friendliness. And though you still really only prefer to fall asleep on Mommy - and with the hair dryer app playing close by - we love that you still so desperately need us. It often tears me up to think of the day that you won't need me as much as you do, but Baby Girl, I promise that I'll always always  want you to need me, and I'll always always be here.

Happy seven months, Amelia. We love you more than you'll ever know.

Always,

Love Mommy

And because I can't forget about yesterday...

You and I packed up and made our last and final trip to see Daddy play!

We flew to Tampa for a 3-game series against the Rays and then we'll fly to Philly for a 3-game series against the Phillies!!

It was your sixteenth trip - yes SIXTEENTH - in seven months and look at you now! Sitting in your own seat and buckled up too! What a big girl you are! 

Speaking of big girl...LOOK AT THIS! A day after you turned 7 months, A TOOTH SHOWED UP IN YOUR MOUTH!!!!!! Say whaaaaaat?!! This explains so much...your obsession with metal, your drool, your funny faces! Oh, I just couldn't even believe it! I discovered it at the FLL airport, waiting on our flight to Tampa while you were sucking and biting on my chin!! You make me smile SO big, Amelia. You took it like a champ too. No excessive crying (you hardly ever cry, and when you do, it's barely a cry...or it's a huge cry because you fell over...or were strapped into your car seat), no fever, no complaining!! You rock, MeMe!!