That’s right, this little cutie pie is seven months old already! 

Can you tell someone got his hands on the chalkboard again?  I think I had to rewrite it three times to get this month’s pictures.  And I had help from Corey!  This little boy is a mess!

Look at this little chunky monkey!  Is he not the cutest?!

Cullen now weighs 17 pounds 3 ounces, which puts him in the 42nd percentile for weight, and he is 27.4 inches long, which puts him in the 80th percentile for height.  He has really grown over the past two months!

So, what is Cullen up to these days?

Sitting up!  I am amazed at how quickly he went from a constant wobble to sitting up straight without toppling over.  It was almost overnight.  It is so nice to be able to sit him in the floor with his favorite toys and actually get something done.  

Eating! So far Cullen likes squash, zucchini, sweet potatoes, apples, bananas, and avocado. His favorite is banana and avocado mixed.  The only thing we have found so far that he absolutely does not like is green beans. (Unless they are mixed with apples!  It seems like he will eat anything mixed with apples.)  He also wants whatever happens to be on your plate or in your cup.  We are going to try carrots tonight, and will start trying a sippy cup in the next few days.

Cullen is not mobile yet, but he wants to be.  When he is on his tummy playing and the toy (or wipes box or table leg) that he wants is out of reach, he stretches as far as possible and twists and turns.  It is so funny watching him turn in a complete circle trying to get his hands on something.

Growing hair!  His bald little head is finally starting to get some hair again.  It is coming back in red!  I have always loved red hair.  So cute!!!

Giving hugs and kisses!  He gives the best hugs and the best open mouth, slobbery kisses!

As much as I don’t want him to grow up too fast, I love how independent Cullen is becoming. He has no problem spending time alone with his toys and entertaining himself. I love the little boy that he is becoming.  Even Corey said the other day that he loves how much fun Cullen is at this age and his giggles can brighten any day!

Along with this new independence comes trouble for us.  Gone are the days of him laying still for a diaper change or pictures.  Diaper changes are now a wrestling match; as soon as he gets the diaper off he wants to roll over.  And this months photo session required help from my mom…and we could have used another person.

Look who discovered the chalkboard!  

I may have to rethink his monthly photo shoot format…this is going to get really interesting when he starts crawling.

Bonus:  Here are a few outtakes from this months photo session.

And a few really sweet pictures I was able to capture before the fun started.

Stay tuned!  I will be posting pictures from Cullen’s first beach trip soon.

Can you believe it?  

I think Cullen weighs about 15 pounds now.  He is growing, growing, growing!  He changes everyday.  I love watching what he will do next!

What Cullen’s Up To Now:

As you probably know, we started solid foods this month.  We tried oatmeal first…Cullen is not really a fan, so we gave up on that for now.  A couple of days ago we tried squash.  Fresh from GG and Papa G’s garden.  Day 1 of squash: unimpressed.  Day 2 of Squash: He loved it!  He kept pulling the spoon to his mouth for more!  After another day or two of squash, we will try peaches…fresh from the local orchard.

Cullen is almost sitting on his own!  He will for about 5 seconds or so before he falls sideways or forward.  

Reaching for what he wants.  Well…not really reaching.  More leaning his whole body in the direction of what he wants.  (Which is probably part of why he falls on his face after sitting for more than a few seconds.)

What Cullen Likes:

Talking/Squealing.  His newest thing is to screech velociraptor-style.  At first it is adorable and hilarious.  Then it is kind of obnoxious because it is very difficult to carry on a conversation with that going on.  (Silly boy already knows he is the center of everyone’s attention and apparently intends to keep it that way at all times.)

Bath time!  This is quite a change from last month. Until about a week ago, Cullen just sat in the water with a look on his face that said “I’m a boy.  Boys don’t bathe.  Get me out of here.”  Now, he has discovered the bath toys and is content to chew on a crab and kick his feet in the water.

Eating people.  If Cullen can get to your face, the first thing he is going to do is chew on your nose.  It is hilarious!

The remote.  It is his favorite thing to hold/look at/talk to.  (He has a remote that is his very own at my parents’ house.)  My mom sent me this picture a few days ago:

I love how much fun it is to be around this cutie these days.  He’s not that cuddly little newborn anymore, but he has so much personality for such a little person!