Leaps and Bounds!

I know its been a few weeks since I've updated the blog, but its been quite a busy time...  But Ben has still been growing and developing new skills in leaps and bounds!  We can't believe how much more mobile, interactive and alert that he's become recently.   At seven months, Ben has grown out of just about all his clothes and we had to start buying him 1 year sized clothes - and we're not even sure that they will last us very long now.  He's even fitting into a few 18 month sized outfits already. 

Ben no longer wants to lay back in a bouncy seat - he has to sit up all the time now.  And sitting is only a temporary thing...  He still can't quite crawl forward yet, but he's close... very close.  He'll do the "butt scoot" to inch his way forward.   He also loves playing with all his toys.  Put him on a blanket surrounded by all his little toys and he'll keep himself entertained for quite a while.

Ben LOVES his new jumper..  when he gets going, you would think that he might just launch himself out of there! 

He's also drinking out of a sippy cup now... he's doesn't sip much, but he figured out how to do it immediately.  (I haven't tried a beer mug with him yet, but I'm sure he'll figure that out just as quick)

In addition to the sippy cup, he'll also grab a water bottle any chance he gets... 

Not only is it tasty, but it makes great noises too!

As you can see here, he still doesn't have any teeth yet, but they're coming soon! 

Ben has also started eating some little rice puffs too.  He loves these things...  He doesn't quite have the ability yet to pick them up and get them into his mouth every time, but he certainly doesn't give up trying.  I'd say he's running at about a 20% success rate.

When we pick him up after he's eating/playing with the puffs, some will be stuck all over his belly and legs and he'll be sitting on the rest of them.   He's having so much fun with them, so we don't mind cleaning him up one bit!

Probably one of the cutest things that he does now is how excited he gets when he sees any of his family members.  Whenever he sees either Jill or I after being away for a while, he just gets SO excited - he smiles, laughs, waves his arms and jumps up and down!  Getting a welcome home like that just doesn't get any better!  He also does this for Grandma & Grandpa and Aunt Donna too!

Grandpa & Ben...

Ben loves falling asleep on Grandma...

And I think Aunt Donna gets just as excited to see Ben...

We can't believe how much he's grown in just the past seven months. 

I just wonder what is in store for us next...