SEVEN MONTHS TODAY!!! YAY!!! Yes, Paul I and I told our son numerous times how old he was today. And we did pick up a sipper cup and zweibach toast for him. Though I had to get the toast at the German grocery store when we picked up the goose. Fortunately Zweibach is the same in both languages. Heck, it's probably German to begin with, the way it sounds.

The sipper cup was almost a failure for today. We'll try again tomorrow. When I first tried it, I had already tried other new things, so I think overstimulation caused him to cry. I swear he sounded like we beat him. Later, after he calmed down and ate a bit, I tried again. he did okay until I took the cup out of his mouth to get a better grip. Then he wouldn't let me put it back in again. I did change his bottle nipples to fast flow though, so he could get used to the quicker flow of formula.

It's weird how we can only give him formula and not milk. 25 years ago, when I was a baby, I had milk by now. So did my sister 16 years ago. But now it's a big NO-NO! to give babies milk before they're a year old. Even though the formula is milk based, just tweaked a little. Go figure.

The Zweibach on the other hand was a short-term success. I can't help it, but I laugh hysterically when he tries new foods and makes such aweful faces. Paul II didn't know to put the toast to his mouth after he grabbed it, so I helped him. About the first three or four times, he gave such a look of disgust, but kept opening his mouth when I put the food in it. After a few more times he started to realize this was something he should like and eat. But he's not used to gumming foods yet, so it took a while for the toast to get soft and he kept trying to eat it like when I feed him his veggies.

He opened his mouth for a taste, then pushed the toast out to swallow, even though there weren't crumbs yet to swallow. We did this about 10-15 more times. That's when I made the fatal mistake of trying the sipper cup at the same time. When I switched off, he got very upset. He was probably just getting used to the cup. Also, I wasted time emptying out the camera, so I could take some video footage. I waited nearly five minutes. Very bad move. I'll have the camera ready before I try tomorrow. That way I can get footage for the family and make him happy at the same time.

I'm so proud though that he tried both of these new things and was okay for a little bit. I realize it will take time, but he's learning and trying new things. What a good boy.

Well, tomorrow is another marker in Paul II's life. On the 20th of December, he'll be exactly 7 months old. We've been telling him that all day.

"Guess who's going to be seven months tomorrow?"

Then he says, "Daddy?"

"No."

"Mommy?"

"No."

"Me?"

"YES!!! You're going to be seven months tomorrow."

Okay, so we talk in a higher baby voice for him, but we know that's what he's thinking.

Today we also worked on standing. I placed his hands on the chair while he stood and let him hold himself up. He was kind of leaning, but only on his hands. The rest of his body was away from the chair. We were so proud of him. I was certain he would plop down after a few seconds, but I think he lasted at least 30 seconds. When we tried again later, he put in almost three minutes. I had the video camera catch it then.

In addition to him being 7 months tomorrow, we'll be trying lots of other things as well. According to some paperwork I was reading tonight, we can start him on a sipper cup. He'll still be primarily on the bottle, but a few times a day we'll give him a few sips. We can also start to give him some finger food. Oven dried toast, zweibach cookies and plain graham crackers. It said even though he doesn't have teeth, he can gum all the food to death. The key to know if he was ready, was if he's more interested in our food than his own and reaches for it. Oh yeah, he's interested.

I'm not a big fan of Burger King, as it's not that healthy, but when I work Saturdays it's either that or Taco Bell for lunch break. As BK is healthier, it wins out. Yesterday when the Pauls came to meet me for lunch, Paul II was VERY interested in my french fries. I waved them all around after I caught him following them to me mouth and he was enthralled. It was so cute. He was also trying to take them from my hand. I was tempted, but BK is one habit I want to avoid him picking up. Also, the fries are greasy from cooking in a vat of oil and way too salty. But at least now I can give him the baby cookies and toast.

Tomorrow we're going to the PX and Shoppette to pick up the snacks and sipper cup. I'm so excited. Also, I bought a food processor last week. I want to start making my own food for him. I was told by others and did a little pricing myself. It's cheaper than paying at least 50 cents per jar of baby food. I can also make him foods the commissary doesn't stock for babies. We have a small grocery store and their stock is limited.

Today he tried green beans and potatoes. I know he likes green beans, so the combo was a safe bet. He fought me through the first few spoonfuls as usual, but he liked it. It was awful. I had Paul I come over and grab his hands. The little twit kept rubbing the back of his hand over his mouth and up his face. He was a little sleepy and kept rubbing his eyes. He had a streak of beans across his face twice that I had to clean. He almost had it in his hair at one point. Fortunately Paul I paid attention a little when he held his hands and we prevented too many more green bean trails.

Actually, with the food processor, I'm hoping he can eat goose with us on Christmas day. Game meat is definitely not offered for babies. It's all beef, turkey, chicken, pork and lamb. The usual. He ended up having turkey while we ate duck on Thanksgiving. Now I'll be able to mash some of the cooked goose and he can eat it with us. We're going into downtown Germany tomorrow and we'll grab the meat for next Saturday.

Then maybe he can have some caviar on New Year's Eve with me as well. Okay, maybe we can wait on that. But his father did want to give him some salmon on Christmas Eve with us. I read we can give him small amounts of tuna and salmon, but the salmon we picked up is smoked and while it's still pretty plain, I want to hold off, because I'm not sure how he'll react. But Paul I loves tuna, *BLECH* and I'll prepare a little for him sometime.

I'm really hoping he likes all these foods. Except for spicy food, I've always had a pretty good variation with my food. I've grown up eating many different things and enjoying most, though I do have my favorites. Paul I is definitely more picky, though he wasn't as exposed to quite as many foods when he was growing up, so he became too set in his ways. He's looked at me like I'm crazy about some of the foods I eat, but he tries them ater much prodding and eventually likes some. I want to avoid this with Paul II. If we start him young on a huge variety, basically whatever we eat, then he should have a good appetite for different foods.

IT'S A NEW PHASE!!! I had to call Paul I over today to look at our boy. He's trying to put everything in his mouth now. I swear it just started today, or at least started often today. He's been picking up his plastic balls for about a week now, but today each time he picked one up, he tried to shove it in his mouth. They are much bigger than his mouth. Then he picked up his little stuffed fish with the mirror on the tail.

It went like this... "Hey, who's that sexy boy in the mirror? I don't know, but I'm sure he'll taste good." Then he proceeded to shove as much into his mouth as possible. It was so cute.

I finally also caught him on film, sticking out his tongue. I hate when he sees the camera. He can be playing and babbeling right along, but once he sees the camera, he goes "DUH..." and stares slackjawed. It makes for some pretty dull photos or video footage. I'm trying to desensitize him now by keeping the camera in front of him, even when it's off. That way it won't be such a surprise.

Well, tomorrow is my husband's unit's office party. I'm hoping Paul II gives the Commander's wife the cold shoulder, since this thing is a mandatory party for the soldiers and recommended for their families. Grrr... Maybe if we pinch him when she comes over...

I don't want to forget our outfit changing ritual when he gets older. He does a strip tease and giggles about it. I provide the music as we unbutton those snaps and when we get down to the final sleeve, I have him swing the outfit and toss it to the imaginary ladies. Not that I want my boy to be a stripper when he's older, I just think it's cute now. Just like I can't resist at times peeking down the rear of his diaper to see that cute and tiny little baby crack. It's just so baby. But I am no pervert, I don't look or play with his front area. It's just his butt that is so tweakable.

But I do think it would be hilarious if when he's about 3 or 4, he goes to the playground and does a striptease for the little girls there. I'm not about to encourage it, but I'd love the shock and horror of the other parents as their little girls giggle at the naked boy. Okay, I know I have a weird sense of humor. I just love shock, as long as he's little and it's not "indecent," like it would be with an adult. Okay, I'll stop writing before I get protective services called on me.

For the past few days, Paul II has found a new toy, or I should say rediscovered it in a new way. His tongue. When he was only about three months old he would curl it in his mouth. No he sticks it out and clamps his lips around it. So it often looks like he's sticking out his tongue at you. or if he's "working" on his toys, then it adds to the look of serious concentration.

When I picked him up from my friend Meg's, also my occasional baby-sitter, she remarked on his new tongue game. She also said she had him hold onto stable objetcs to hld himself up. She kept her hands around him in case he fell, but she said he did really well. Oh boy, now I have to try it. I never even thought of him keeping stable on his feet yet. I keep forgetting all these things I have to teach him.

Also, tomorrow my boss wants to talk to me about my job. He said it was all good things. The only thing I'm afraid of is extra duties which might bring on more hours. I really enjoy my job, but I hate myself every minute I'm away from Paul. Though I love the peace the first hour after he's been a brat.

This morning the little twit wouldn't stop pulling my hair. I know people think I'm nuts to keep it so long with a baby (it's waist long), but my hair is my one real vanity besides intelligence. So by the time I walked him to my friend's house, I was not in the mood to take it any more. So what does the little "angel" do? He's latches on and refuses to let go when I try to put him on the floor, regardless of the fact that I'm running late, which he was the cause of. Well, at least Meg enjoyed my comment to him. "Let go of my hair or I'm going to kick your butt." Yeah, I know he can't understand, but it was good to vent a little. Just wait until I get done learning German. Then I'll work on another language and not teach him. That way I can break my rule of no cursing and neither of the Pauls will understand me, but they'll know I'm PO'd. I'm figuring Italian will do nicely. It's such a heated language and already in my blood.

But now the darling angel, my little sweetheart has gone to sleep. He's always perfect when he's sleeping. And I will tuck in too. Of course, after I kiss his soft little cheek and adjust his blanket and dolly, a turtle named Cruiser. Excuse me, "action figure." He's going to be a tough man, so he can't play with dollies. Then I'll linger on his scent in his room and go to sleep happy as well.

I'm so excited about my son's first Christmas. He'll only be seven months and five days old when it happens, but I still want everything to be perfect for him. That's why we're finally getting a real Christmas tree.

Last night when I was finishing frosting the first batch of Christmas cookies, my mind kept wandering to next year. Then he'll be old enough to eat the cookies. He'll even be old enough to "help" me with the cookies.

Then there's the Christmas presents. We got a big package the other day from my father. It had tons of gifts for him and a Christmas outfit. I know he'll wear the outfit on Christmas day. As for the gifts, I hid them. Okay, okay. I know he can't crawl, let alone drag out the footstool and climb up to the upper cupboard where I hid them. Heck, even if he could do that, he's way too short to reach the cupborad with the stool, it's pretty high up. But it made me feel good to hide his gifts, a tradition for the years to come. I even want to write "From Santa" on some of his gifts from us.

So far I bought him two musical toys and am looking for one more. Toys that are easy to press buttons or turn over to start the music. The two are from Leap Frog and one of them will grow with him. For now I'll keep it on the music setting. Later I can put it on he letter learning setting. But it plays over 26 songs. It's great and he loves his music toys, so he'll love this too.

Well, once we get the tree up, we'll have Paul II help trim it. Maybe he can even help put the star on the top.