Do you know what the one thing is that is guaranteed to always make me smile?
This face.
Hailey turned 7 months old on the 15th and just like that we’re closer to one year than a newborn.
The biggest news around here is that Hailey now sleeps in just jammies!
I know that may not sound like much, but we swaddled her until abut 5.5 months, then transitioned to the Magic Sleep Suit and now our bedtime routine is nurse, bathe, jammies, book and bed. We lay her down, she grabs the pacifier, turn on the white noise (which is next on my list to try and cut out) and tell her good night. She snoozes from 7pm-7am.
Speaking of routine, our days look like this: wake up at 7:00, nurse. Play. Nap 9:00-10:30. Nurse. Play. Nurse 1:00, 4:00 and 7:00, with a short (45 minutes) nap around 2:00. She eats real food twice a day- once in the morning and once in the afternoon. Sometimes I feel like I’m milk-loading her in the afternoon trying to get in 5 feedings, even though it seems like she’d do fine on 4. I’m just not sure I want to let her go down to 4 feedings yet until I talk to the pediatrician.
Her hair is growing and it now sticks out over her ears. I call her my little ragamuffin.
On the same note, my hair has stopped falling out by the handful, so that’s good news 
But I do have little baby hairs beginning to grow in and have some pretty crazy flyaways.
We’re still doing baby led weaning and loving it. I do a combo of giving her big pieces of food to handle herself and feeding her small pieces of food that I pull apart. She’s also tried a squeeze pack of puree and really liked it, once she figured it out.
So far we’ve tried a wide variety of fruits and vegetables, bread, cheese, lentils, Greek yogurt and egg yolks. I’m just going to throw in a quick note that diapers have changed a bit with the introduction of solid food. Joy.
I think food exploration will be even more fun when she has the capability to chew… still no teeth!
We haven’t been following the wait-3-days-before-adding-in-new-foods rule. I don’t know what made me feel so cavalier about going ahead and just letting her eat. I’m not saying it’s a good idea for everyone, but it seems to have worked well for us.
Hailey enjoys making lots of noises. She babbles and shrieks, but no definite words (like mama.. darn it!) She enjoys swinging, bouncing in the jumparoo, cruising in the stroller, standing on mom and dad’s laps, riding on dad’s shoulders, the ABC song and books.
She wears size 2 diapers and 6-9 and some 9-12 month clothing, though some 6 month stuff is pretty snug. She does not like tummy time. She’ll be content for a few minutes before she’s over it. When she gets really frustrated, she can scoot herself forward like an inch worm, but no crawling over here. Good thing because I have yet to baby proof.
She’s such a happy girl and her giggles just melt me. She likes playing with Koda, which right now mainly consists of getting licked.
With the beautiful weather, we’ve enjoyed trying out local parks. She loves watching bigger kids and swinging. She also loves flying down the slide while doing the train (c’mon and ride it!)
Totally kidding. I have not sent her down the slide solo, but thought the picture was pretty funny.
Our biggest challenge comes when she’s tired. Girl needs her sleep, just like momma.
I still can’t believe how much she’s filling up the basket now, and can only imagine what she’ll look like in here at 1 year!
Ok, I’m off to try and teach Hailey how to say mama, but I had a few requests from my survey (thanks for filling it out!) about answering questions from readers, so if you have any Hailey-related questions, fire away! Have a good one
blackhuff says
She have grown so much and reading about all the milestones she have achieved already (the sleeping thing), she is well on her way. Who wouldn’t be, having such a great woman as a mom?
Kath says
You have one adorable photogenic baby!! She’s just sooo cute when she sits and smiles!
Lee says
Happy 7 months to Hailey! That’s awesome that she’s sleeping like that. Such a happy looking girl!
nicole @ making good choices says
she’s so cute! love the monthly updates 🙂
Kathy says
Loved all the photos but my fave is the one with the puree. so cute. I am sure you hear it all the time…but enjoy each day–as you can see they grow so fast. Each phase is wonderful, some tho you can get anxious for them to pass. 🙂 Have a great day!
Katie @ Pop Culture Cuisine says
I’m so impressed with how much she is eating and sleeping…we are still struggling a bit in the whole sleep through the night department. Kherie seems to really be enjoying the baby led weaning as are we, however I just don’t think she is actually “eating” a whole lot. I am trying not to let myself compare her to other babies and me to other mothers, but I can’t help but feel like I am doing it wrong at times haha.
Brittany says
No way, can’t compare babies. I was blessed with a good sleeper, but I hear stories about babies H’s age and younger that are crawling and she just screams her head off on her tummy. They all grow in their own way at their own pace. You’re doing great, momma!
Katie @ Pop Culture Cuisine says
Thanks, I needed that…just having one of those days where I feel like I don’t stack up. We have just been so crazy busy lately, that my workouts have suffered a bit and I can totally tell in my mood, time to step it up. P.S. I totally agree the baby hairs growing back in are annoying, but glad I am not pulling out fistfuls of hair anymore 🙂
LMN says
My husband and I do the 85/15 healthy/unhealthy thing. But one issue I get really carried away with is hormones in dairy products. There is research that speculates that these hormones may cause early menstruation and development in children. I’m sure I’m crazy, but this totally freaks me out. Do you have thoughts on that? I feel like you’re a good middle of the road kind of person to ask 🙂
Brittany says
I have heard a little about this and would like to look into it more before I give my thoughts. I know that obesity is one of the issues accounting for the early onset of puberty in children, though, because all the extra fat creates more of the hormone leptin, which is a factor is when puberty starts. (http://children.webmd.com/features/obesity) I’ll write it down and look into it more- thanks! 🙂
Kaitlyn @Keeping up with Kaitlyn says
She is so adorable!!
Michelle says
I love the updates! Its driving me a little crazy because my husbands cousin had a baby 9 days before me! We were actually due the same day. Her baby is crawling and has 2 teeth with one on the way. I just feel like everyone wants to compare and while I like to hear how other babies of similar age are doing. I have no interest in turning it into a competition. I am happy to hear that not every 7 month baby is crawling 🙂 Isn’t the hair thing crazy? I feel like I lost my hair at the same time she did and now we both have it growing back together! The crazy little sprouts are annoying though, just glad that its getting back to normal and our drain gets a break:-) I love watching Hailey grow and I love your blog 🙂
Jessie @ Graze With Me says
She looks just like you in that photo with the food pouch! Such a doll.
Isn’t it crazy that they’re 7 months already?! (Lyric turns 7 mo on Thursday) I have a friend at my moms group whose little girl shares a birthday with Hailey. 🙂
We’ve had to do some sleep training over here lately but now she finally night weaned herself! Unfortunately she gets up at 5:30 am now….YAWN.
Love the updates!
Brittany says
Yes! Doesn’t 7 months sound old? Just wait until we’re saying 7 years… CRAZY! And yay for Lyric weaning himself and more sleep for momma!:)
Kristen @ notsodomesticated says
So sweet!! I love the updates!! 😉
Jenny says
I can’t believe how big she’s getting!!! Hard to imagine that just a year ago we were all pregnant and so anxiously awaiting the arrival of our little ones!
Danica @ It's Progression says
Her little legs rolls are the cutest!!
Jen says
She just keeps getting cuter! She always seems so happy 🙂
Sejal M says
She’s so smiley!!!! My hair has slowed falling out but it’s still falling… my daughter is almost 6 months and I think it took 7-8 months to stop with my son?…. but honestly cant remember much from the past 2 years lol!!
Also my daughter hates tummy time and we are about to take away the swaddle for good. We are at one arm and she sleeps until 6am from 7:30 so here’s hoping it continues!!
Brittany says
I love the one arm swaddle! And I’m glad to hear that H isn’t the only one who hates tummy time 🙂
Jasmine J says
I love her! She’s adorable (: you’re such a great mommy!!
Kelli H (Made in Sonoma) says
Every time I read about H, it makes me so excited to have a baby in the future. She is just adorable!
Susan @ Real Life Travels says
Um I love the Ride the Train photo … freaking hilarious!! She’s such a little doll baby!
Stefanie says
ok that squeeze pack pic is hilarious!
christina says
She has one of the cutest smiles I’ve ever seen! It just makes me smile.
Kelly@Runmarun says
Oh my goodness she is precious! Her eyes are enormous and so beautiful! Congratulations on 7 months! I feel like I was just reading her 6 month update!
Thanks for the information about her naps. Lula is on a similar nap schedule but her afternoon nap is a little longer than Hailey’s and she struggles with bedtime so I am going to start shortening her afternoon nap and see if that helps. Enjoy that precious baby!
Brittany says
Oh I’m jealous of the long afternoon nap! H used to do 1.5 hours in the afternoon and now it keeps shortening. I’m afraid one day we’ll lose it forever- boo! Enjoy that long afternoon nap 🙂
Caitlin says
I just love these updates. She is so SO precious. I love how happy she looks in all the photos. This put a smile on my face!
Michelle @ Lifewithacrazypup says
Hailey is absolutely adorable! She’s getting so big too! I remember when I was checking your blog every day to see if she had arrived yet! You should post a little video of her babbling, I bet it would be darling 🙂
Karen says
Such a beautiful baby girl!!
Thanks for sharing 🙂
Karen says
P.S.
The slide picture is too funny!!!! At first I was like omg she was not scared lol
Shanna, like Banana says
What a cutie patootie!!!!
Good to know the hair stops falling out at some point. I’m at 3.5 months post-partum and it’s seriously shocking to see how much I’m losing!
Brittany says
I was seriously freaked out a couple times in the shower with how much I pulled out, but luckily it goes away. But all the baby hairs growing in now are annoying. Thank goodness for hair pins!
KatieTX says
I LOVE that she is smiling in every picture, well except the puree one… What a happy baby 🙂
Lisa says
She is precious! I love these updates.
Kristy @ Breath of Sunshine says
She is just way too cute! I love that you share all this info. It’s nice to get a sneak peak of what the next few months have in store for our household (and I will jump up and down and email you kisses if Chet is sleeping 12 hours straight at night too!).
Thanks for mentioning your hair. Mine just started to fall out, and I was wondering when it would end.
Brittany says
Haha, yes! You better email when it happens! 🙂
Jen@FoodFamilyFitness says
My goodness, she’s getting SO big!!!! She’s so adorable! Happy 7 months Hailey 🙂
Kristina says
What a cutie pie! Are you strict about her napping in her crib? I have a 7 month old boy and we are still struggling with sleep
Brittany says
When we’re at home she always sleeps in her crib, but mostly because it’s the only place I have set up for her to sleep. 🙂 But she’ll also snooze in her car seat sometimes, too!
Suzanne says
Beware of the hair regulating. After mine stopped falling out by the fistful (and when we went down to about 4-5 feedings/pumpings) my period came back. It was very unexpected. I was very unhappy.
Brittany says
Oh… good to know! I’ve been wondering when my period may return. I’m on the look out now!
Erin says
Hailey is beautiful. I have question about feedings, sleep and temp … Do u pump or only nurse? I’m still swaddling mine but he’s starting to fight it. I’m hoping to get him to sleep through the night without swaddling. What is temp typically in H’s room?
Brittany says
Now I only nurse, but I have to be gone for a weekend in July and will pump to make sure I have enough milk stored up for her while I’m gone. I hate pumping and truly admire moms that have to do it often. H’s crib is usually around 73 degrees (our monitor tells us the temp), but she’s usually comfortable anywhere from 68-75 degrees. I’m a little nervous about summertime, but I guess we’ll see how it goes!
Trainer Kjirsten says
I can’t believe Hailey is already 7 months! Where does time go? My daughter, Cameryn, turns 3 months tomorrow and I swear I don’t know where time is going. Hailey is such a cutie pie and reading these post gets me excited for how much Cameryn is going to grow over the next few months! I love watching how much Cam changes each week!
thehealthyapron says
She is completely gorgeous! She looks just like you! I have read that some experts don’t recommend the 3 day rule and I used to tell that to my clients when I worked with lil babies. Whatever works for you!