Hey Ella, you're 7 months old today!

Earlier today I was thinking about what all you accomplished in your seventh month of life and thinking it seemed uneventful, but after looking through the camera roll on my phone, I'm realizing that your seventh month has been full of significant milestones.

Two teeth. Remember how I said last month that I thought you were teething? I was right and frankly I feel validated by your two tiny teeth. Rolling, rolling, and more rolling. All over the living room floor, you are rolling. It's like all of the sudden you've figured out that you can get closer to things if you move their direction. Who knows how much Charlie hair you've probably inhaled, but it hasn't seemed to hold you back. In fact, you started sleeping on your stomach occasionally, which is just hilarious because, bless your heart, you faceplant, like full-on sleep with your forehead to the mattress. You LOVE Charlie. I caught you giggling to yourself in the living room while you watched him chase his tail one day and ever since you really haven't stopped laughing at your funny, hairy, huge dog. He seems to love you, too. He'll lay down on the floor right next to you, always being some combination of sweet and annoying. It's so interesting to me that inherently you know Charlie is funny or that chasing a tail is a silly thing to do. Who taught you that? The things you find funny have really caused me to pause. It's like you are so untainted by the busyness of life that you can still see the intricate, God-designed humor all around us. I've caught myself thinking: "How creative God, that You would make a furry animal to live in my house and chase his tail to my baby's delight." See EJ, God even uses your Charliedog to teach Mom something.

The most significant milestone this month is that we left you with your grandparents for four days while we went to Napa for a Beta wedding. You have no shortage of worthy and willing caregivers around here, but even knowing that, I felt so strange leaving you. I cried several times the Thursday night we left you and almost choked the Southwest lady when she told us our flight coming home had been cancelled. Alas, we made it home, you did great while we were gone, and we might even do it again sometime...just not any time super soon.

Your Dad and I stood in your room one night last week and looked at your sweet face while you were sleeping because sometimes it's a little unreal that you exist. Ellagirl, you are hilairous and beautiful and smart and, oh boy, do we love you so!