Week 30-November 10-16-SEVEN MONTHS OLD! Unbelievable! You have started to pay attention to the pictures I put up around your changing table of bright colors and shapes. Each time I put a new dipe on you and stand you up to adjust it, you twist your body around to look and touch the pictures. I point them out to you and you smile! On Wednesday, we finally made it to our first mommy and me class at AISH. There were two other babies your age, Eliyahu and Yeshaya were there and about three toddlers. When Sharon Shenker, the leader started singing and talking, all of the mommies were busy talking to each other and the babies were playing. You were the only one looking and listening to Sharon! What a good little girl you are! Absolutely adorable. Sharon passed around a tzedakah box so everyone could put in some pennies and when it was your turn, you took hold of the box and tried to eat it! HAHA! I love you. Later everyone was given a stuffed torah to hold and you loved yours! At one point, a little boy, who was a little rowdy came by and grabbed your links away from you and then watched your reaction, which was, to watch him. When he wasn't looking, I took them back for you. He also took a truck away from a ten month old. If he is there tomorrow, and behaves this way toward you, I might way something to his mom. She needs to watch him, not let him bully all the kids!

You have now picked up the habit of screaming. At first you were playing with your voice, but now, if you don't like something, immediately, there emits from your lungs, the loudest, ear-splitting screech I have ever heard. I had a headache most of this week. If it continues, I think I am buying ear plugs. Seriously.

I sing all the time, I told you that last week. When I do, you smile, smile, smile. Sometimes at night, it is difficult for you to calm down, and your entire body is moving, legs kicking, arms flailing and you are just restless, so I sing and the moment the first note leaves my lips, you settle down, without fail and smile. It is amazing. I don't know what it is about singing, but it works. Remember that for your own children! I know I told you that you don't need to be held anymore when you fall asleep, but suddenly, it changed again this week and you won't fall asleep unless you are in my arms. I like it. I didn't realize how much I missed it. If you miss a nap, or wake up early from one, you are cranky! So I try my best to keep our home a calm place so you can rest without interruptions. Of course, there are always interruptions and sometimes you just wake on your own. Yesterday, you took a two hour nap, which is incredibly long for you, at most, you sleep for about forty minutes, most of the time only thirty minutes at a time, and then at night, you slept for about three hours straight, no waking, nothing. You were taking about four naps a day, but it is shifting to three naps and those are getting longer. (the eleven am nap is the one disappearing, you still sleep at about 9, 1, and 3). I kept checking the time and looking at you, I couldn't believe it. Had I known how long you would sleep, I would have either tried to get a major project off my to do list, or really settled down to relax. I am not used to having so much uninterrupted time to myself.

On Saturday, we met with Jake and Yana to go house hunting in Long Beach. Later we all went to a Lebanese restaurant and it was getting a little late for you. You played in the high chair, but as time went on, you wanted to be held, so we all passed you around the table and you were getting more and more active and vocal, which is what happens when you are overtired. You didn't cry or fuss. You are really a great baby!

Whenever anybody has something in their hands, you grab it with such force and bring it to your mouth! Jake gave Yana a water bottle and you just went for it. They both laughed and gave you some water. You were delighted! If I am holding a notebook, a pen, whatever, it usually makes its way into your mouth!

Whenever anyone sneezes, including Zed, you jump like I've never seen. It is really loud for you. I try to sneeze quietly or warn you, but you still startle. When you sneeze, you smile!

You have a thing for buttons. You really like them. Whenever I wear a shirt with buttons, you touch them, pull them and eat them. It is darling!

My mom bought you a laptop a while ago, but I just gave it to you recently because you are old enough to be interested in it. It has buttons that make different sounds and songs and it is really cute. When it opens and closes it plays music. The only thing you like to do with it is close it and then you get frustrated because it doesn't do anything anymore! So I open it for you and you immediately close it again! One morning, the three of us were lounging around in bed and papa and I got on our laptops. Well, you kept mouthing his and he said, we have to get you your own. To which I replied, she has one and I got you yours, so all three of us were on our laptops. Too funny. We are such a high-tech family!

You also love to eat my cell phone. If I take it away, you cry, unfortunately, they are not waterproof, I found out. As of now, I am without my phone, which is a huge deal for me. I am sort of attached. I was contemplating not getting it fixed though, as a sort of weaning process, but we have no other phone in the house and I do need it in case of emergency, so I am expecting one to arrive in a day or two. I will have to do something about getting you one. I think it is because you see me on it all the time, that you want it too. But you're not getting this one (although it is really difficult to say no to you)!!!

Baby, I love you so much. Each week you change incredibly. You are so pure, so innocent. I am blessed to be in your presence, and to bask in the fresh energy that is you. It is rare and all to often lost. I hope you keep yours for a long time. You are my heart, my soul!