Team Moran: Mr. Independent is 7 months old

Our big boy has had a lot of new things on his plate this month. Matthew is becoming such a kid these days. He is always upright now and is very content to play by himself with his toys for extended periods of time. He is eating new foods every day it seems, and adding more to his meals as the weeks go by. Matthew has become pretty flexible when we are out and about and if we have a late night over at a friend's house he just rolls with the punches. He is very interested in other babies, always reaching out to touch them and talk to them.

Probably the thing that makes Matthew most independent is that he spends a lot of his time with his babysitter during my work week. I am back at school now, and although I have a pretty good class, am happy to see my coworkers again, and the year is already half over, I can't help but feel that I am missing so much of Matthew every day. I have come to enjoy our early morning breastfeed and bedtime routine as my most precious and calm moments of the day. When I am rocking Matthew in the morning at 5:30am, I just want to sit there all day long with his little head resting peacefully on my shoulder. As far as working moms go, I think we have a pretty nice schedule worked out. Alex has been FANTASTIC about sharing the parenting load. On days when he is off from work he takes care of the house, runs errands and grocery shops, and then usually picks Matthew up mid-day or lets him sleep in and takes him in for a half day. Matthew has only had a few all day visits to the babysitter, so even though I can't be with him all day I am happy to know that he is spending lots of time with his daddy.

Here is what you are up to this month, buddy:

You sit a lot during playtime. You are so good at it and love to be high above your toys. We have to get you on your tummy more though so you can practice crawling.

You can prop yourself up on all fours, but you don't move forward yet.

You are a champion sleeper. You go to bed by 7:30 at the latest, and sleep until 5:30 am, up to feed then back to bed until about 8:15. You take two naps totaling about 3 hours throughout the day.

You have started playing with your voice. You squeal and make loud noises in excitement. You laugh and laugh at daddy's funny faces and games. You think Maggie is too cool!

You have been to the beach, and love to explore the sand with your chubby little hands.

You are a good boy in restaurants and sit on our laps while we eat.

You are happy all the time! You respond well to your baby sitter, and are such a good boy when we leave you in the church nursery or the babycare at the gym.

You have taken well to eating. We have built up to 3 small meals a day of about 2 ounces each. You have had oatmeal, sweet potato, butternut squash, avocado, peas, zucchini, pears, apples, bananas, and your tummy's best friend... prunes!

You have started knowing what to do with your toys. Some of them have actions you can do to make a certain noise or turn on a light. Some toys have special compartments and you try to put the pieces in the right place.

You like to read books and daddy puts them in your crib, although I don't think you do much with them.

You are 20 pounds! This means you got a new car seat. You are riding in style, with a nice big seat that better last you a very, very long time.

Here you are with Granna, enjoying her back yard and learning all about nature.