Fast times at Skyline Drive: 7 Months

Dax is 7 months old! This has been a month of firsts for the little man. While he hasn't had a lot of big changes in development, it has been an exciting few weeks (bear with me in this long post, or skip it if you'd prefer - it has been harder to keep the blog updated as I return to work)...

Close up

Our sweet boy is a champion eater. He LOVES his fruits and veggies. However, we have had one bad experience - carrots. The first day Dax ate carrots was one of the funniest moments I have had with him. He would open wide expecting a tasty meal and immediately cringed and gagged once the carrots were in his mouth. Then, he would open for another bite right away. I almost felt guilty continuing to give him something so yucky, but it was hilarious and we don't want him to be a picky eater. Each subsequent meal with carrots was much better. Ironically, the one food he did not like was also the only food he has eaten from a jar thus far.

He had another first in the food department - eating table food. That's a bit misleading; I should really say he has played with table food! A couple of times we have cut up a banana into little pieces and put them onto his high chair tray. He hasn't quite figured out how to get it to his mouth, but enjoys playing and likes it when he does get a taste.

We have not tried any other table foods yet because Dax is not able to chew. For one thing he has not yet figured it out (even with tiny pieces of mushy banana he gagged a bit), and for another thing, we are still holding out for teeth. I feel like a broken record saying he has to be teething, but, seriously, when will that tooth pop through?! In addition to the constant drooling and chewing on toys (or shoulders, blankets, anything within his surprisingly long reach), he has started to make a teething face. His tongue makes it way to the edge of his mouth and must provide a little relief for his gums. It is very sweet.

Family photo at Centennial Lakes - notice the teething face

Though he seems to be uncomfortable at times, teething has not stopped him from talking. He chatters away all day long. It is still mostly babble, but we are fairly confident he says, "hi", our daycare provider is convinced he said, "milk", and right before returning to work my little man started saying "mama". Nothing is very consistent yet, but it is fun to hear that progress and, even though I don't know what he's saying, I love having conversations with him as we drive home from daycare.

Dax had two BIG firsts this month. One was his first overnight away from Mommy. I was out of town for my friends Trish and Blair's wedding rehearsal. While I was thrilled to be a part of their wedding festivities, I was dreading an overnight away from Dax. In this case I know it was harder for me than him, but we both survived. Jake and Dax met me on Saturday for the wedding and then my parents met us and brought Dax home so we could enjoy the reception. Overall it was a great weekend and Dax enjoyed his second wedding, but it was a big step for us (and one I'm not likely to repeat any time soon)!

My handsome boys at the ceremony

Posing with my college girlfriends after performing our version of the Fresh Prince of Bel Air to tell the bride and groom's love story at the reception

His other big first was a trip to the playground near our house. While 7 months is probably a little early to get the most out of it, Dax still loves to be outside and I thought he might enjoy swinging. He was pretty indifferent about that, but was thrilled to be outside and was completely intrigued by the sand.