Nicole // 7 Months

Nicole has become such a happy little flirt, I'm not even joking. These days (as long as she isn't hungry or tired) you can catch her giggling at people over my shoulder at church, "talking" loudly to random strangers we pass on the sidewalk, and smiling at every single person who happens to make eye contact with her in the grocery store. She'll let almost anyone hold her, and complete strangers can make her belly-laugh.

What a social butterfly.

And this smile is exactly the type of cheesy smile she gives people.

Squinted eyes, wrinkled nose, and all. While banging her hands around and bouncing wildly.

Tell me honestly... could you resist interacting with a stranger's baby if she gave you a smile like this when you walked by? I doubt it. Some strangers come up to us to comment on her chubbiness and happy nature, while I can see others point at her to their friends or smile at her as they pass by.

Chunky. Irresistible. Still rockin' the gummy, tooth-less smile.

We do think she's in the middle of teething, though. She's been extremely drooly for a while now and you can see the tooth nubs just under the gums. They haven't broken through, but they're so close! Hopefully any day now so they stop bothering her.

Nicole is a pro "sitter" now, and she's trying SO hard to crawl but can't quite figure it out, although she can turn herself to face a new direction while on her tummy. If she really wants something, she'll roll around until she can reach it. OR she'll sit and reach as far as she can. OR she'll lie on her tummy and stick one leg up in the air in her desperate attempts to reach her desired item. It's very funny to watch.

Here are some other little tidbits from this little ball of personality:

She has a loud voice.

Her favorite "word" is yeeeeaaaaah!

She cocks her head to the side and it KILLS me. So cute.

She still loves to snuggle up against me, especially when she just woke up.

So bouncy! She's so very, very bouncy!

The toes finally found their way to her mouth this month.

She is o.b.s.e.s.s.e.d. with strawberries. If I start feeding her a strawberry, she will get mad at me if I don't feed it to her fast enough. I've learned to just give it to her piece-by-piece because if I let her gum on a whole strawberry (I hold it up to her mouth while she gnaws) she has a complete meltdown when I take it away from her. Strawberries turn her into a crazy woman.

Her favorite way to play peek-a-boo is by putting a blanket on her face so she can pull it off.

She's ticklish on her tummy, around the neck, and especially under the arms.

Cartoons don't hold her attention, but she could veg on my lap and watch home reno shows all day. Do I have a future house flipper on my hands? Interior designer? Maybe?

She still has super expressive eyebrows. She'll never be able to hide her emotions. Ever.

She sticks her tongue out a lot more now.

When daddy walks through the door in the evening, she gets so excited and smiles from ear-to-ear! She loves being held by her daddy.

We've been blessed with such a happy little girl. I'm so glad that I get to be the one who sees her learn and grow every day.

Happy 7 months, little Chunker! We love every roll on your chubby little body!