7 Months

Yesterday, the first day of autumn, was Olive's 7 month day (I can't call it birthday, or even half birthday, yet each month at this age is such a milestone I have to recognize it!). She's had many achievements to date, namely her three teeth (which are all barely visible, but have broken through, nonetheless; two on the top and one on the bottom), her crawling, and her solid food consumption. Until this week, she'd shown only minor interest in the things we'd given her, but when I came home last night with some jarred food (we'd planned - and still plan - on making her own food with a food mill we got for that purpose, but it's in our storage unit in Maine), she was all over it. Last night she downed a few ounces of sweet potato, and today while I was nannying at the Khoreys, Rob reported that she loved her apples and blueberries. Another new food she tried this week: Cheerios; like me, she's a huge fan.

The downside to all of this is that these bottom teeth seem to be giving her a lot more grief than the top; the past two nights have been tortuous for her and me (Rob is, fortunately, a heavier sleeper, so she disturbs him much less). Last night she awoke with piercing cries seven times before I actually fell asleep, and many more times afterwards. We were supposed to be going to a Ted Leo & the Pharmacists show tonight, as my dear friend, Krysta's roommate's band, Heavy Cream, was the opening act and had gotten our fam on the guest list, but I was too zonked to even think about going. We spent the morning at the zoo; it was Rob's day off but yesterday he'd made a scarecrow for the gorillas that was put out this morning while a film crew got footage to hopefully use for a Halloween commercial. Goodies were stuffed in the scarecrow's head and body, which delighted them greatly, and all who were watching. Today was the fifth day in a row we went to the zoo, as we've made a routine out of brining Rob lunch and dining with him during his break, then we spend the rest of the hour observing - and dodging hurled objects from - the gorillas.

Oh, and my second new job as nanny is going really, really well! All three kids are pretty great - Noah's an incredible pianist and drummer, and is surprisingly (given my history with boys his age) well-mannered and mature; Nina is a very talented writer (I'm not even halfway finished reading a story she began writing last year - as a fifth grader), and a pretty great conversationalist (I feel like I'm talking to someone at least five years older; again, not what I'm used to from someone her age). Alex is very curious and also quite precocious, always asking questions about Olive, Rob, and me. He also got his sister to rub Aquafresh toothpaste on his sore foot yesterday, which was pretty funny for me to witness. Today was the first day Olive wasn't in tow, and we all missed her, but it gave me a little more time to focus on reading Nina's story. I still can't believe I'm getting paid to do this, though. Tomorrow I'm working both places - 8-1 at Cosimano e Ferrari, then 4-whenever at the Khoreys'. Things have gotten a little more exhausting, but I think it's just because I've been used to not going in to a job for so long, so it'll take a little more adjustment on my part. If only Olive would permit me to get a few more winks, then I'd be all set...