Simon - Seven Months

We visited the pediatrician for our routine well-child check a week ago and Simon is still healthy and on track developmentally.  His stats:

Weight - 17 lbs 3 oz, 28%

Height - 27 1/2", 70%

Weight-for-Length - 17%

Head Circumference - 17 1/4", 38%

He is just starting to figure out how to get up on his knees to learn to crawl.  He can scoot around on his bum, though, so that might be his mode of transportation for a while.  He is eating all varieties of stage 2 baby food purees right now and some table foods like peas, brown rice, carrot shreds, edamame, small pieces of bread and corn.  He seems to like all foods right now and hasn't turned down anything yet.  I've been using organic produce from our bi-monthly produce basket to steam and make homemade baby food.  It's been fun combining the basket options to make new blends (especially since he eats whatever I offer).  He is learning how to feed himself with his hands with the peas and some baby puffs.  He doesn't quite get it yet, but he can usually get a piece of food in his mouth often enough to keep himself happy.  

He is just old enough to start being a lot of work at church.  He doesn't want to sit on my lap anymore; he'd rather be playing on the floor or playing with whatever Eliza has out of her backpack.  It's a lot trickier now and I didn't realize how easy I had it with him before.  His new sense of independence might make for a fun plane trip next month when we fly to Jamaica and back.  At least it won't be a 6-hour direct flight like we had to Hawaii.  I never thought I'd feel this way, but layovers are the way to go when you're flying with kids.  I always wanted direct flights before, but now I'd rather do multiple short flights just to break it up.  

Simon has been sitting by himself for a while now, but he can't get himself to the sitting position alone yet.  He's not sleeping through the night, but I keep telling myself that that will happen soon.  Right?  I think we're coming up to a "cry it out night" (or nights) to get him to stop waking up.  I just hope it goes as easy as it did with Eliza.  One of the problems with him is that he will wake up and flip over.  He doesn't like to sleep on his back so he'll get mad and want to flip back over, but he can't or won't until I help him out.  He might have to learn how to adjust to back or side sleeping now.  

He's a very pleasant baby and usually happy.  He's super smiley, he "talks" a lot and he's pretty content to just sit and play with toys.  He loves watching Eliza while she runs around or dances and he likes being on the move if he's not being entertained with toys.  He likes stroller and car rides and being outside.  I can't believe that he's already 7 months old!!  The summer seems like it is going to fly by and then we'll be planning his first birthday party.  I want the time to pass quickly because that means that Brian will be almost home for good, but I also don't want it to go too fast because I don't want to miss all of the fun stages between now and then.