[transcribed] Seven months old

[chanaleh]

Auntie Diane and cousin Caleb came up from Kentucky for Grandma Elsie's 82nd birthday at the end of January, so they finally got to meet Aria! We all went out to IHOP for pancakes on Saturday morning. After Aria's 6-month checkup February 2, we started her on solid foods -- rice cereal later that week, and mashed butternut squash the week after. Right away she wanted to hold the spoon and fussed/cried when we insisted on feeding her ourselves. (Since then: green beans from a jar = yum, mashed avocado = hilarious skeptical face! but she didn't spit it out! We use two spoons at a time now so she can hold/play with one while we feed her with the other.) Wednesday, February 24 was a big snowstorm (the first real storm all winter) and our power went out for 24 hours! Mama stayed home from work the next day (Thursday) and we stayed warm, but Aria did not like her cold bottles AT ALL. It's funny, she usually rejects them for being too warm if they get above room temperature! Oh -- this month's biggest milestone -- February 16 was the first time Aria "pulled to stand", in the porta-crib in our room. Now she's standing up all over the place. We dropped down the mattresses in both cribs right away, so now the top rails are just high enough for her to stand and chew on. Third tooth (top left) has peeked through the gum; you can feel it there but not see it yet.