Little Lord Steed: Seven Months Old

At seven months Little Lord Steed has mastered crawling. He's not super fast but he is crawling all over the house following me, exploring every corner, every cord, every piece of paper on the floor. He is now a dangerous baby--outlet covers have been put in all outlets and I am placing all cords well out of his reach. I haven't looked up when my other two started crawling but I do feel like Little Lord Steed has started crawling sooner than the other two did. All the other moms I know seem very surprised that he is crawling already. It's fun to watch him crawl and explore his world but it certainly makes my job harder--more vacuuming, more nagging the older two to keep their small toys off the floor, scanning every room all the time for items that are too small etc etc. Crawling also means that he has painful-looking red patches on his knees. They are bright red and look awful, but I do not think they hurt since he continues to crawl--soon they will be callouses.

He can sit up unsupported though he does not stay in that position for long now that he can crawl. There is always something interesting worth crawling over to so he can then put it in his mouth and give it a good exploratory suck and taste. He no longer enjoys bouncing like he used to. We borrowed a bouncer for him but he never really took to it. He would bounce for a very little while and then cry and cry until you took him out of it. I wish he would just sit in one place and play; I know my other two did this and it was great. But not Little Lord Steed--he, apparently is not content to be still.

Speaking of crying, he seems to do a whole lot of it. He doesn't babble very much nor does he laugh that often; he's kind of a quiet baby (except of course for when he is screaming) (which seems like most of the time). The pediatrician seemed slightly concerned that he wasn't babbling very much but said it was probably because of his two older siblings 'talking' for him. I'm not concerned at all though.

He's not super interested in 'baby' food, but he's plenty interested in the food on my plate.

He has started to suck on his fingers again! He had stopped for a while but now he is doing it again. But he's also not drooling so much. Are these related? He's also developed a small rash under his lower lip. This, I imagine, is related somehow.

Favorite toy? Still paper.

He grew a bunch of hair! His blond hair is now long and fluffy on top and the bald spot on the back of his head is filled in. He looks well groomed.

I am still his favorite person, but what is interesting is how Little Lord Steed seems to have lost some interest in the Big O. The Big O used to always be able to get Little Lord Steed to laugh but no more. He will look at the Big O when he comes near and maintain eye contact with him, but the smiling and laughing is no longer coming as easily as it was a month ago. I wonder what changed? Of course, I can rarely get him to smile or laugh either. He seems to be a very serious child. So when I see his dimpled smile and hear his little gurgley laugh it is a special moment in my day.

Little Lord Steed is also interested in his reflection in the mirror. He will stare at himself for a moment, then reach out to touch the other baby, hit the glass, then look at me as if to say "What happened? How did that baby get in there?" The mirror is a fascinating thing.

Now that he crawls, getting the monthly pictures is difficult. He does not like being photographed apparently--he is always crawling away, crying, sucking on his fingers, and rarely smiling.

("Waaa!! No more pictures Mom!!")