Seven Months!...

This mystery "baby in red" turned seven months today!

And now it's time for the big reveal.

  Here is...

...wait for it...

Hope Margaret Leong!

(It's a slow news day - let me have my fun.  ha ha!)

Seven months seems like such a long time - but not if you're Hope's Mommy.  I feel like she just got here - the days and weeks and months are just flying.  Yet the other day I found myself buying one of her first birthday presents!  (I couldn't resist)

We've seen the biggest changes by far this month.  As you know, Hope started eating solids!  She's still only eating one little bowl a day.  The first week was Yams. (loved)  The second week was bananas.  (loved)  And today I served a major favorite of Gavin's - yams and banana mixed together.  (hated)  Can't win them all.  I think the next food will be avocado.  I'll keep you posted on her review.

Hope is also scooting around much more.  Still not "traditionally" crawling on all fours - but she gets around!!  Brian and I picked out a couple new toys for her to encourage her to crawl after them.  We got "Follow Me Fred" and "Baby Einstein Activity Balls".  So far both toys get thumbs up from all of us!

She's doing a great job sitting up on her own!  Not 100% steady, but she gets better and better every day.  And her dark hair is growing more and more every day, too!

Her sleep schedule hasn't changed too much.  She goes to bed at the same time as Brian - 7pm.  I typically have to feed her one time in the middle of the night.  Most of the time she'll wake up between 6-7am, eat, and go back to sleep for a little nap.  Last night was an exception (unless it's the new norm - I'll let you know!).  I woke up this morning at 7:10am and realized that I never woke up in the middle of the night!  I jumped out of bed and asked Ed if he heard her through the night and he said no.  Of course I ran to her room to make sure she was breathing.  I don't think I breathed until I was standing over her crib and watching her chest rise and fall.

I always hear the kids.  Ed used to joke that I would jump up because I heard Gavin BEFORE he cried.  (He was right - and I was right, too!  I had a strong intuition with Gavin)  Anyway... I have to believe that I would have heard Hope last night if she woke up.  She was all smiles when she woke up on her own at 8am!!  That's 13 hours straight!

The love affair between Brian and Hope continues.  He simply adores his little sister and loves to include her in anything he does, which is just so sweet.  The love affair between Hope and her Daddy has gotten even stronger.  She just beams when he's around.  And me?  I still can't believe she's here.  

I love this little girl and feel such a special bond with her.  

We are grateful for Hope.