The girls' development at seven months

The girls are all starting to sit up, but they are not able to sit unassisted yet. They laugh out loud - easily and frequently - and it's just the best sound ever. It melts my heart. Of course, they think their parents are a riot. We pull faces, play tickle games, make funny sounds as we touch their noses and blow raspberries. Any game that works with anticipation is just the ticket.

In general, getting belly laughs and giggles now is so much easier than two months ago. It's bliss! I love love love this fabulous stage.

They light up when they see my husband or I and what could be better than that? They are totally okay with being picked up and held by our friends, but they definitely keep tabs on my whereabouts, which is so cute. They're starting to be a little less sure around people they haven't met or seen in a while, so we're seeing a few quivering lower lips every now and then. It usually just takes a quick reassuring expression from me or them just catching sight of me, for them to settle down and enjoy the interaction with the "new" person.

Ada finally rolled from stomach to back and once she figured it out, she couldn't stop doing it. They all go to sleep on their tummies because of reflux, but when they aren't tired enough, they'll flip themselves over. This usually goes along with a ginormous grin observed out of the corner of my eye as I'm trying not to make eye contact. Sometimes there's a giggle for special effect, and a fabulous, "Look what I can do! I'm so totally adorable. Come on, pick me up!" expression.

We resist the urge to interact when they're going down for a nap, but I often walk out of the nursery, close the door and then crack up because the cuteness factor is simply off the scales.

Julia and Emma are rolling both ways now. They're not able to roll multiple times yet. Emma almost did it yesterday, but then a toy distracted her and stopped her in her tracks. Our littlest is the most mobile of the three. She has been making crawling motions and will get her one leg under her and rock, but then doesn't know where to take the movement. She scootches after toys, and is quick as lightning when it comes to snagging toys away from in front of her sisters. Emma has been tummy "surfing" in circles recently. She completed two 360 degree circles in the spate of a few minutes.

We often joke how true it is that kids would rather play with the cardboard box than their toys. They love the shadows on the walls, the tags on their toys, bouncy seats and Boppy pillows, and playing with their own fingers and toes!

On that note: we have 3 little toe suckers now. Eek! I know it's a developmental milestone when they find their feet and can bring their toes to their faces, but yikes. I've even caught them suckling on one another's toes, which is just one more wonderful benefit to being a triplet: 30 toes to suck on!

I often find them holding or touching one another's hands, faces and hair. Those are the sweetest moments. There is, of course, lots of accidental slapping of their sisters (darn those fine motor skills), accidental face poking and scratching, but for the most part, they're as gentle as they can be at this age.