Happy 7 Months Wren

Wren turned 7 months on the 17th. Phew! Lot's going on this past month and we’ve definitely had some significant moments.

At the beginning of the month I headed back to work. For the most part everything with that change is going really well. I’m happy to say I am motivated with my work assignment and feel like I fit in well with my new team. I’m back to having a supportive boss and that little {BIG} thing makes such a difference.

Wren seems to enjoy daycare, which always makes the transition back to the office a lot more bearable. We’re lucky to have some of the same teachers that cared for Max & Otto, so they have a soft spot for Wren. She likes all the new friends, teachers and toys to play with. We’re over the hump of the first couple weeks when she refused bottles at school, which means she’s back to getting most of her calories during the day as well as back to waking just once at night to feed. By this age Max was sleeping his 12 hours solid each night, but I’m fine with Wren waking up. She eats and goes right back to bed. And sometimes holding her in the still of the night is the only chance I have to do so.

- playing at school

Another perk of daycare is that they help ensure Wren has a chance to try and eat solids a couple times before we offer her dinner at night. This is huge for me. The other Friday when all three kids were home I felt so triumphant because I actually “had a chance” to feed Wren solids two times during the day. Some days I can’t figure out how to do that…

- when I do, it still looks like this

Exactly one week before Wren turned 7 months she took off crawling. The night before she started crawling daycare had told me that she was sooooo close to doing it. I think they say that when a child has actually done something new at daycare but they want the parents to (think they’ve) seen it for the first time. At any rate, although I was taken off guard one morning when I realized she was crawling towards me and Otto rather than her usual rocking and rolling our way, I really wasn’t surprised by it. She’d been on all 4’s and rocking back and forth for a few weeks looking like she was ready to take off toward her brothers.

I was surprised, however, with what she has learned to do since the day she started crawling. Here I thought crawling was going to be the big milestone I’d get to memorialize in Wren’s baby book and the blog for her 7^th month. But in one week’s time - from her 1^st crawling until her 7^th month birthday - she’s gone from crawling on the ground to climbing up onto things. And then from leaning against things to popping up onto her toes against things. And then from kneeling to pulling herself to a stand.

- one moment

- the next

- 8am.

Kneeling in crib talking with Max

- 3pm.

Pulling herself to a stand in her crib talking with Max.

It was quite fun because I think Max was as amazed, or even more amazed, than I was with Wren's new ability. He just kept squealing every time Wren would fall down and pull herself back up.

As fun and exciting as it is to have her moving so quickly, it’s a whole new ballgame now. Wren crawls right over and tries to swipe toys from Max and Otto. She’ll sit down next to one of them and I’ll catch them “parallel” playing. When we headed outside the other day I realized the new challenge – watching all three mobile kids with just two eyes. Setting Wren on a big blanket on the lawn, she was in the woodchips trying to eat them before I could get Otto set up with the hose and watering can. I usually live in flip flops, but I’m on the hunt for some new summer tenners so I can keep up with my six additional legs all going in different directions!

- Taking toys. Joe reminded me she has some of the best mentors in this area, so I shouldn't be surprised.

- She just seems so old sitting next to Max and "parallel" playing.

Wren is such a sweetheart. All the kids are. Otto just dotes on her. Every morning he wants to cuddle in Wren’s crib with her. He’ll snuggle on the floor with her. He doesn’t love when she tries to take his toys. Max still makes her giggle. And every night both boys insist on hugging and kissing her good-night, and Otto wants to hold her.

I love that Joe and I have the opportunity to parent a girl in addition to our boys. I've always called my boys beautiful, but I'm finding that I gush to Wren about how beautiful she is. There's something that overtakes me every single time I look at her and I can't help myself from blurting out how she's the most beautiful girl in the world. Seriously. The prettiest girl I've ever seen. Prettiest girl in the world, actually. But then none of our kids have been called or casted by the "professionals of pretty" over at the Gap Casting Call, so maybe I've just got a bit of that parent bias in me...