Dear Simon,

This weekend you turned seven months old. We spent most of the day trying to find you a little red outfit--yes, this was one of Mama’s wild hairs, and your Daddy indulged me. You see, we live in a state that has big love for college football, specifically Husker football. Mommy is a fan, and Daddy not as much. We’ll let you decide for yourself. Saturday, though, we initiated you--we drove you downtown during game-day traffic (Ugh!) and we took you to our friends the Koenigs’ house to experience your first Nebraska game (all decked out in your new Husker T-shirt, of course). So far, we’ll just say Huskermania is not your favorite--you mostly couldn’t understand why people had to yell so much.

This month was full of calls to the doctor--and a couple of trips too. You had your first unexplained fever--no shots and no teeth. After our first few calls, we were thinking it was a virus of some kind, but then a week later, your fever showed up again and Mommy hauled you in. They can just hand me the overly cautious mother award right now, but nonetheless, I am so glad I took you in. The doctor that we saw (not our regular pedi) said he thought that all your problems, including the fevers, had to do with your excema issues (hoo boy, you have sensitive skin, kid). We got a prescription to heal up your cheeks, and you have been a different kid (or perhaps I should say back to the same kid we remember). You also visited the eye doctor (just to get a baseline) and the follow-up NICU clinic.

It was a bit of a tough month on the traveling front. You have suddenly decided that you don’t like the carseat after all. We have spent many short (and longer) trips with either Mommy or Daddy (or sometimes a grandparent) in the backseat trying to talk you down from the ledge. This is not my favorite new development, and I hope you will change your mind about the carseat soon.

Mommy and Daddy really enjoyed watching the Olympics this month. As you will see, it is rare that we watch sports in our household, and rarer still that we would DVR them and watch them again and again, but the Olympics are a happy exception. You weren’t allowed to watch the TV, of course, but I think you got the idea as we cheered you on to your gold-medal performance in the cutest baby all-around event. And on an Olympic sidenote, you earned yourself a new nickname this month with all your side to side maneuvers--Béla Károly. You now roll both back to tummy and tummy to back--everywhere and all the time. You are a busy, busy baby.

You are getting the hang of sitting as long as we don’t draw too much attention to the fact that you’re doing it on your own. There have been a few head bonks, but overall your balance is improving every day.

You continue to try new foods. Avacados and brown rice cereal have been the only real hits so far, although you’ve also tolerated sweet potatoes. And you don’t like pears or carrots. Next up apples, squash, and oat cereal.

The playground across the street has been fun. You love to watch the big kids play. You seem to think the swings are okay, if a little boring, depending on the time of day. You are also discovering grass (interesting) and sand (less interesting, though possibly tasty if Mama would only let you get a handful in your mouth).

And this month’s highlight: you’ve started laughing. You think everyone is funnier than Mommy is. One of your favorites is when Daddy does a baby hoedown (this involves his imitation of a banjo, and, as you know, he’s pretty good). Joie and Great Grandma Carlson (and, of course, Daddy) have also found your tickle spots. I tell you, if I could bottle the delight I feel when I hear you laugh, we could solve the world’s energy problems.

You are a joy, and I love spending my days with you. Mama loves you so, so much, little man.

(More Month 7 pictures on the Opuses’ Flickr page)