seven months old

dear alice and isla,

Today you are seven months old.  I can't believe that you are already more than half a year old.  Could we just slow down time please... just for a while... just so I can get my fill of these days?  Who am I kidding... I will never get enough.

After months of me wondering whether we should be putting you into a routine... you decided to go ahead and put yourselves in a routine and this is how our day typically goes down right now...

7 am... it's wake up time.  Isla, we usually find you awake and happy in your crib in the nursery.  Alice, you are usually awake at this point, in our room, in the swing... looking at us and asking us with your expression if it's play time yet.  In fact, at 4:45 am ish when you wake to feed, you tell me that you would rather be in the jolly jumper by jumping your legs up and down beside me.  I know this is just a stage and know that one day... maybe soon you too will sleep 7 to 7... until then we get that extra time together in the middle of the night.  After waking I nurse you both in bed, one at a time.  Next, we head to your room so that we can get you dressed for the day.

7:30 am... we come downstairs... let the playing begin.  We throw on some music and start on the floor, you two roll around, grab whatever toy you see and put it in your mouths.  Alice, you seem to get across the floor so quickly that I'm not exactly sure how it happens.  I think you flock to the hardwood so that you can hear the bang you make when you slam your feet down onto the ground.  Isla, you hang out on your tummy for oodles of time, just content staring and grabbing at the colours of the mat.  You make each other laugh more and more every day.  I love it.  You eventually make it known that you would like to get off the floor and into the jolly jumper or the exercauser.  You take turns of course.

8:30 am... you eat breakfast... food style.  You both love your organic rice cereal.  Alice, you love fruit, especially bananas lately.  Isla, you love vegetables but will tolerate bananas and blueberries.

9:00 am... we wind down, we sometimes read.  You might have a quick snack a la mommy and then you yawn and I put you down... in our room.  Alice you still love to nap in the swing and Isla you love to nap in our bed.  While you are down I get to do things... things like shower, folding clothes, doing dishes, drinking a latte and sometimes even reading.

11:00 am... if you aren't up by this time I go up and wake you.  Usually you are up though... especially you Alice.  We come downstairs and you both nurse.  And then we play... and play some more.

12:30 pm... it's time for lunch.  We skip the cereal and get right to the goods... fruits, veggies and a mum mum (which you totally love btw)... I think it's the fact that you get to feed yourselves the mum mums that makes them extra good.

1:30 ish pm... we're still figuring what works best for your afternoon nap.  Sometimes you like to go down at 1:00 pm, some days 2:00 pm.  Either way you start out with a quick snack from me and then back up to our room for your naps.

3:00 ish pm... on great days, you are down for two hours... on good days you are down for at least an hour.  Either way once you are up you nurse and then we play.  Eventually we head outside for a walk to get some much needed fresh air and vitamin D.  I love pushing you around in your stroller.  I love how you instantly settle once we're outside.  I love your wide eyes when I sit you up in your seat so you can see the world.

5:00 pm... it's time for dinner.  You enthusiastically chow down on your cereal and fruits and veggies.  The best days are when Daddy is home in time to feed one of you dinner.  The minute that Daddy comes through that front door your eyes are on him and your faces light right up.  You just love your Daddy.

After dinner we head up for baths... every second night usually.

We wind down the day with one last feed at 6:30 pm and you are tucked in and ready to sleep by 7.

I know you will each soon be sitting on your own and maybe even crawling.  Don't rush.  I could watch you on your tummies, rolling around, all day long.

The days are long... and they are wonderful.

happy seven months.

xoxo mommy