Grayson at 7 Months

These days, our baby boy is displaying signs of independence at every turn. Whether it's an expanded repertoire of vocalizations, holding his own bottle, sitting up unassisted, or moving around the room via rolling, Grayson is getting a mind of his own.

While I know this will bring challenges to our parenting skills very soon, it does have advantages like being able to entertain himself at times. We typically wake up to the sounds of Grayson talking to himself coming over the monitor. He is content entertaining himself for 10-15 minutes, sometimes even going back to sleep.

One morning he rolled to the end of his crib and discovered he could make his aquarium/white noise machine turn on and off if he kicked the button with his heel. This provided endless entertainment and when we went in to get him he turned and gave an ear-to-ear grin. We quickly lowered his crib mattress before he could get any other ideas.

On a sad note, this month Michael and I had to let go of some parenting items that had become like our security blanket. The swing (aka our go-to sleep-inducing device) is now a hazard due to Grayson's size and ability to roll out of it or grab the mobile overhead. Even though there's a strap to keep him in, he's really too big for it to be safe and we had to come to terms with no longer using it.

Grayson has also graduated from his countertop bath tub. Since we have a deep soaking (aka back breaking) bath tub, we procrastinated as long as possible before changing the way we bathe him. He still doesn't need a full-size tub so we've tried a few different models and have settled on using an adorable rubber ducky tub which uses less water and provides Grayson with some cushy support.

In terms of personality, Grayson's disposition can be summed up in one word: happy. He is such a smiley boy and we're so very lucky to have a happy baby. We encounter strangers on a regular basis that ask us, "Is he always this happy?" and our answer is always a resounding yes. From the Target photographer to nurses at the pediatrician's office to checkers at the grocery store, everyone seems to notice his sunny disposition. That's not to say there aren't times of teething and fussiness, but overall we're extremely blessed to have such a ray of sunshine in our lives.

Michael and I are looking forward to the extended evenings and warmer weather so we can enjoy more family bike rides, blooming flowers and eventually swimming in our pool. Plus, the next few months will bring a baby boom to our extended family and circle of friends. We're excited to meet each of the new babies and welcome them into our lives. I can't wait to see Grayson interact and grow with them and watch how we all grow as parents and friends.

On a final note, here's a video we took last night of one of Grayson's new tricks -- pulling himself to a standing position. It will also be clear what we mean about his new vocal range, and you'll notice he's as drooly as ever but still no sign of teeth breaking through any time soon.