True mommy confessions

I did something today I said I wouldn't do.

Remember a while back when we were told kids younger than 2 shouldn't be watching TV? Yeah, well, I'm pretty sure the experts who determined this weren't sleep-deprived mothers who haven't showered in two days, home alone with a 7-month-old.

I sat Milo in his play yard with Sesame Street on the television while I took a shower. I know. I just lost my Mother of the Year nomination. The thing is, whether Milo is in his crib or a playpen and whether or not the TV is on, he's going to cry for me. I have a hard time believing my baby's development is going to be severely hampered by my attempt to distract him for five minutes.

And here's why. Sesame Street did not distract him from the fact that I left him in a play yard.

Nor did it keep him from figuring out to pull himself up into a standing position. I'm pretty sure he wasn't paying any attention to Elmo.

Countdown to Christmas

Yesterday, Milo, the S.O. and I went to the Merry Christmas Tree Farm to harvest our Christmas tree. It was a very brisk day, so we bundled Milo into the new snowsuit Gramma D gave him.

We picked a blue spruce that is much (much, much) smaller than last year's Griswold tree.

Get up, stand up

Guess who figured out how to pull himself up to a standing position. All by himself. In his crib. At 2 o'clock in the morning.

This guy.

7 months old

Dear Milo,

As usual, I am amazed that time can slip by so quickly. This past month has been a whirlwind, punctuated by your lingering cold (this time accompanied by a cough) and your suddenly becoming a creature of the night, feeding every two hours like a newborn.

How cute are you when you do sleep?

You've also become pretty clingy lately. You want me to hold you all the time and you don't like other people holding you much. You threw a fit when your uncle tried to hold you the other day and you broke down in tears yesterday when the woman working produce at the grocery store told you you were cute. From my selfish standpoint, I love that I'm the one person who can soothe you, but it makes it difficult for me to get things done or go anywhere.

Still, your being clingy and my lack of sleep don't diminish how adorable you are to me, or how many new things you've done this past month. Suddenly you're mobile, army crawling everywhere you want to go. You're trying more and more foods and different combinations of foods, and you think you should be able to try whatever Mommy and Daddy are eating.

We've been giving you baths in your own bathtub. You love splashing in the water and playing with your bath toys. It's one of the cutest things I've ever seen.

But then, I'm pretty sure you are absolutely the cutest thing I've ever seen.  After seven months, I'm still in awe of the fact that I made you. I suppose I will always feel that way. You are the best thing I've ever done. I'm so proud of you. I love showing you off.

There's nothing like that smile to melt my heart. I love you so much.

Love,
Mommy

Saturday rewind

One year ago this weekend, I posted this picture:

So much can change in just 12 months:

Traveling Thursday

Look who's mobile.

Wordless Wednesday