Violet at 7 Months

Violet is my newest Mama's Girl and is supremely happy if I am holding her.  This is both wonderful and challenging.  Wonderful when I pick her up and she gives me hugs now and even open-mouthed, wet kisses.  She lights up whenever she sees me and whatever was holding her attention prior to seeing me becomes meaningless as her number one goal is to be in my arms.  The morning sickness while pregnant with her, the countless other pregnancy pains, labor and recovery and even the sleepless nights all become worth it when I scoop her up and we share a snuggle in my arms.  Pure and devoted baby love is one of the best things in my world.  It becomes a challenge however, when I have to take a shower, eat soup, cut up an apple for the girls, or take something hot out of the oven.  I have learned to do many things one handed while I hold Violet in my other arm but there are some things where two hands are necessary.  When those instances happen, you can be sure I am moving as fast as I possibly can to get back to the screaming baby who is acting like her heart has been broken into a million pieces.  And as soon as I am done with the quick shower, the soup has been gulped down, that apple is cut and the food is safely out of the oven, I scoop up my screaming baby, wipe the snot off of her face, give her a hug and she is all better.  She doesn't hold a grudge, she is just happy again in the moment with her beloved mama.  There are times during the day where I see myself, as if from a distance, and am in awe of my ability to multitask.  Who knew ten years ago that I would be toting gallons of water to a flock of chickens in the freezing cold with a baby strapped to me, trying not to trip on the cat following close to my feet?

Violet took a while to adjust to the winter temperatures and would arch her back and scream the first couple of days we had to put her in the pink snow suit that both of her sisters wore when they were babies.  She has since come to terms with the confinements of staying warm and is actually able to move pretty good in it now.  Here she is in her hand me down snow suit below with her God Mama.

Violet has adjusted to eating her first bites of solid food quite well.  She has a great appetite and most days eats several jars of baby food.  I've tried making her some homemade baby food but she gags on the texture.  For now we will continue to buy the jars and I have to admit that I am a little excited about the potential craft projects that I want to attempt with all of the cute little glass jars we are accumulating.  Her favorite foods seem to be vegetables including sweet potatoes, carrots, spinach, and green beans.  She doesn't seem to care for applesauce or bananas but will reluctantly eat the prunes I pureed for her when I mix them with a little bit of finely ground oatmeal.

With her first bites of solid food came her first toothbrush.  Violet loves gnawing on her toothbrush while the rest of the family brushes their teeth.  Violet still doesn't have any teeth but she definitely has all of the teethings symptoms.  I constantly feel as though I just ran inside from an unexpected rainstorm as she drools so very much.  Again, who knew ten years ago that I wouldn't even mind being drenched in baby drool.  Will and I joke that baby drool is like the fountain of youth.  If you get it on your skin or clothes, it will reduce wrinkles.

Violet loves playing with us.  So far she doesn't seem to be content playing on her own for very long, but to see her face light up when her sisters, Will or I play with her is truly priceless.  Violet is loved by each one of her family members ever so much.  She shows her excitement by opening her mouth super wide when she spots one of us.

 Violet scoots across the floor on her belly very efficiently now.  She hasn't figured out how to crawl on her knees yet, but has finessed the art of moving forward, backward and turning.  She can sit for short periods of time on her own, and usually topples over when she reaches for something and loses her balance.

 You would think with all of this activity she would be exhausted.  Violet may win the award for the worst sleeper yet at our house, which is saying a lot since her older sisters were sleep challenged as well.  At this point I have resigned myself to getting Violet to sleep in whatever way works, regardless of whether it may be bad habit forming.  She takes three twenty minute naps a day and if we are lucky, she'll take a 45 minute nap every once in a while.  I am frustrated that after three kids I still haven't figured out why sleep is so difficult.  The difference this time around is that I've given up trying to fix it and now believe that there is some genetic mutation that keeps our children from sleeping until about age two.

Violet, we love you despite the dark circles under our eyes and the drool spots on our clothes.  We can't imagine our family without you and your ability to light up a room with your smiles keeps us smiling too!  Who knew ten years ago that a little girl named Violet would bring so much love to our family!