Seven Months of Tessa Shalom

Rundy said a couple of weeks ago that maybe we should've named her Tessa Joy. She's brimful of it. But I suppose shalom doesn't always have to be quiet and mild-mannered, does it? If you have shalom, I expect that joy's always somewhere nearby.

Tessa has been a little sparkler this month, constantly smiling and giggling and babbling and happy-kicking and wiggling like the dickens. She just recently figured out how to scoot forward using the mighty power of one big toe, and there's been no stopping her from the minute she wakes up. When she's not grinning, she's staring attentively, wide-eyed. Still teething, but with nothing to show for it yet. Liking food, but mostly what she can nab from our plates rather than the pureed stuff. She loves it when Daddy throws her up in the air and is generally crazy playing with her. One of her favorite occupations is grabbing the hair of whoever is closest to her; she has yet to pull it into her mouth to examine it more thoroughly, but it isn't for lack of trying. Another favorite of this month is swinging doors of all shapes and sizes. She sleeps well; she grows well; she is loved well.

Tessa continues to delight us all with her sunny presence. 

What a gift.

She's definitely at the rolling-out-of-the-frame, eating-the-monthiversary-tag stage.

Her brothers found her impossible to resist until the end of the photoshoot.

There are no pictures of me with the kids unless I take selfies, which I very rarely do. But I thought to take one today! And then I hired Pippin to take the one below it.

Tessa is happy as a clam on the floor. She rolls, she pivots, she explores, and when she needs a rest she just puts her head down for a bit.

And to cap it all off, blurry photo evidence of how much Tessa enjoys her Daddy's crazy antics.