SEVEN months of WONDER

"There are no SEVEN wonders of the world in the eyes of a child... 
There are SEVEN million" 
-Walt Streightiff

7 months of ooey, gooey giggles and kisses.
(weights at home...no attempts for length w/out Dr's tricks on these wiggle worms)
Quinn Scott - 22 lbs (we think the scale resets itself, he weighs at least 22...:) )
Harper Jo - 15.15 lbs
Gracie Jean 21 lbs 

The above quote couldn't be more true. I sit in awe watching these three miracles go from squishy little newborns into thinking, discovering and curiously smart with our hands and mouth little human people.

It feels a little like someone hit the fast forward button..

Full on sitters that can sit for 30 minutes + reaching and grabbing for toys from this perfectly beautiful straight back position. In fact, in this new position, it is becoming possible for sibling toy nabbers (let the quest for sharing begin). I love,love love watching them just sit and be so content seeing the world from a new seat. 

Can't be left alone - rolling and attempts to crawl are here. Q and G are rocking on all 4s and doing a weird plank and lunge forward that usually ends up in just rolling over in pure exhaustion. Harper..well, she can get up on all 4's but she doesn't have time for that - she will just roll there. I will turn around sometimes and it feels like they are Houdini - they were here, and now they aren't. 

Love their food. Have added yogurt and they love it! Especially the banana yogurt! (Mom loves the banana yogurt too!) 

Teeth...Oh teeth. Somedays we conquer you, somedays we don't. Quinn & Gracie both have 2 teeth...and poor Harper..somedays her moods reflect her teeth protruding at her gums, but just won't come out, sort of feeling. 

Helmets. It was a really hard decision, but we decided to get helmets for all 3. The goal is 3 months. This needs a blog post all of its own...we are again experiencing cabin fever w/ these helmets & the extreme heat. It is the year of challenges...but we can do it. These babies continue to lead me through any new challenge with smiles and adapting to whatever "it" is ... 

On a pretty good schedule. (Subject to lots of change) Up at 6:30, bottle. Nap 1 hr. Breakfast at 9, bottle at 10. "Alone Time" in our own respective pack n plays (THEY LOVE IT! And I don't mind the time...) and then naps. Bottle at 1. Play, naps. Bottle at 4. Dinner at 5:30. Baths. Bottle and bedtime! Still my favorite part of the day...watching them breathe and lay so peacefully as they dream and grow after hours...

Giggles and smiles. Intensely beautiful and make every early morning and all the long days worth it. 

Quinn Scott -- 

Seriously, can you be anymore full of sunshine? You fussed through your 1st tooth and you don't love to be put down to sleep at night, but otherwise, there is a smile on your face. You started to be able to hold our own bottle. You love the camera and will act so goofy when I'm taking pics of you. You are a cuddler and a talker and go crazy when Daddy gets home, food is being prepared for you or you are just so tired you don't know what else to do but act silly. You love to sit up in your bath and splash w/ your hands. You are SO close to the real deal of crawling. You get up on all 4s and lunge, but you just haven't married the two together. But man can you get from one spot to another by flipping that body. You are so strong and your back looks like a mini football player. (I vote for golf). You love to sit up and play and will sit up forever just reaching for toys and watching everything around you. And how did I live without your giggles before you? 

Harper Jo --

My monkey. My heart swells when you get up from a nap and grab on like a little cuddly, lovable monkey. You are in what I would call a frustrated phase..wanting to STAND all the time, wanting up..no wait, wanting down. You want to move ,but when you roll sometimes its not enough. And those darn teeth just are taking so long and torturing your sweet gums :( But when you are happy... it's like confetti coming down. You smile, screech, throw your arms, squint your eyes and smile and giggle with your whole self. It's addicting to make you smile & laugh!! You love to eat your solids, as long as you are guiding the spoon. In fact, you are also chugging your bottles! Way to go almost 16 lb peanut :) We look forward to those sweet, slow down and cuddle me moments. Daddy loves when you actually feel like cuddling up on his chest after your bedtime bottle (once or twice a week ;) ) But when you are on the go, we love you just the same. 

Gracie Jean -- 

The patient, pumpkin pie. You amaze us at how content, happy and peaceful you are with your world, and the world around you. Can you teach me how to be still like that? You still love to eat and say "mmmm" after bites. You pretty much caught up w/ your brother in weight! You are our sweet baby that will sit and wait for a bottle, smile when chaos happens and just sing when you wake up before everybody else. Now, you know how to let us know when that peaceful sugarplum world isn't right (RED FACE and the most pathetic cry you've ever heard)...but for the most part, you just get sweeter every day. I hurt my knee the other day (like thought I may die, haven't eaten today and I'm so exhausted and just got hurt type of cry) and you watched me cry and grabbed my finger so tight and smiled the WHOLE time. I just want to snuggle you. You will be laying on the floor downstairs and just watch people..you can watch us go up the stairs and then wait for us to be at the top of the loft overlooking the downstairs, see us and smile from that far away. Your singing and your sideways smiles burns holes in our hearts every single day. 

 As always...the pictures. Worth a thousand words. 

Our 6 month check up...Harper is a little sleepy

Stretch Quinn! Our butterball

Gracie found her thumb

Just relaxing...

The luckiest guy in the world 

Fathers Day in Casey, IL. Great Grandpa Richards, Grandpa Richards and US! What a family tree to celebrate!

Ella and Harper 

Aunt Katie & Harper 

Big Boy with Grandma 

The cheeks continue to pack sugar...

Harper at her best angle - standing.

Watch, Quinn, you just put this thing in your mouth and it's the best ever. 

Happy boy with his football 

And the jumperoo competition begins...

Teeth, teeth baby

Happy Gracie 

Quinn really likes his tongue 

The Boys

Harper captured during Baby Einstein DVD. She is so bored with this infant stuff. 

Hubba, hubba eyes 

Hey, I had that 1st. 

The life 

Daddy is and always will be the funniest person on earth 

My monkey!

The camera is on me, CHEESE!!!

Bedtime cuddles w/ G girl 

Goodnight handsome 

They are clearly bored with our photo shoot..yawn. 

Look closely. Babies feeding themselves. Not propping, outsourcing. 

Seriously, took 7 months for Quinn and Harper to really look at each other like this...as a good mom does, camera happened to be on my side. (One of my many inventions for moms..a "moms tool belt" to hold camera, booger sucker, spitup rags, water bottle...want to buy one yet?)

World Cup in Training 

Harper giving Grandma one of those million dollar hugs 

Quinn is working day and night at this crawling thing 

I'm often caught staring at my "happy babies"

Sometimes a water bottle is all you need for a good time 

To date, one of my favorite moments. Left the room for a moment. Came back and Quinn and Harper had seized the Ocean play-mat. The innocent, "What did we do wrong, Mom" looks are the 1st of many, I'm sure