Jonah @ 7 months

Dear Jonah,

You've had a rough month but still managed to learn a few new tricks amidst the cold and the croup.

You learned to crawl and are can get around really fast.

 But now you prefer to be at least somewhat upright.

You pull up on all sorts of things and can even climb up steps. Here's you trying to climb into the sandbox. You can get all the way up and reach the sand if you let your feet hang a bit.

You trying to climb over/plow through a wall of blankets.

You looking at some laundry...right before you tried to climb into the basket.

You've begun to babble. I love it. It's always the same "adadada" but the inflections vary like you're having a real conversation with us - which of course you are! You've started working with foods but more for fun and chewing than swallowing. You're finding swallowing a bit difficult. You don't seem to care but the gagging is too much for mama's nerves.

The one plus side to you being sick was that it slowed you down a bit and I got a little more cuddling from you than I normally do.

I can normally only get you to cuddle when we nurse. Here you are sharing your fingers with me. You really like to make sure I have something to suck on too. You're very insistent at times.

You are normally such a happy guy that at first it was a challenge to keep you happy when you don't feel good but between the three of us, we've found a few ways. You love peek-a-boo, especially with Lucy. You love "this little piggie" and being tickled (although not so much by Lucy, her tickles tend to get a bit scratchy). But you love taking baths in the big tub with her - and all the new toys you have access to. But of course, no bath is complete until you try to climb out.

You really love to explore (and climb!) outside. So far this month you've eaten several dandelions, a leaf and two chunks of dirt. Between those things and your cold, you should have a great immune system!

You're such a boy and I love you!