Long overdue update!

So I realized I hadn't posted anything since early May. As you read on you'll probably understand why. We made it through my dance recital weekend and Mike's camping trip fine.  Mike's parents and my mom did a great job of taking care of Steven. After that weekend though he and I had to get back on track. He went through a bit of a nursing strike and I ended up switching him from 4 naps to 3, 6 feedings to 5, and 2 solid food feedings to 3. I did this all in one day too! Crazy I know, but it actually worked and we were all much happier. Steven was then scooting everywhere. We took him to the Outer Banks for a week and he really enjoyed the water. The weather wasn't so great, so we only got out on the beach a few days. After that week we did swimming lessons at the YMCA for 2 weeks. Again, he loved the water. I'm keeping my fingers crossed for a future Michael Phelps!!
During the middle of our 2 weeks of swimming lessons Steven turned 7 months old. On that day he started to crawl. A few little crawls at Mike's parents, then the next day it was "Ok, I got this!" He is all over the place. As if that wasn't enough, about a week and a half later, as I'm bringing out his sit to stand giraffe to play on, he pulls up on the box.  After that he started pulling up on everything. He is currently cruising and even letting go of things for a good amount of time.  He loves standing without holding on to anything. He has taken a lot of tumbles and he probably needed to wear a helmet with how many times he hit his head, but he seems to have gotten used to it and gotten better at not falling.
He is also talking a lot.  He said "mama" first and loved saying it a lot. Then he said "dada" a little while later. Now that is his favorite thing to say.  He even seems to look for Mike when he says it.  He is full of personality and determined to get into things he isn't supposed to.  Not sure what it is about the dogs food and water bowls, but he is like a moth to a flame. 
He is loving the range of solid foods. I am still pureeing it, he seems to have a thing with textures.  The first time I fed him mashed potatoes it took about 45 minutes.  He would make a face when they went in his mouth and he would sit with them in his mouth before swallowing.  I thinned them out some and that seemed to make it better, but once I mixed them with peas and carrots he thought that was awesome. He doesn't quite seem ready to pick foods up and put them in his mouth, but he likes to eat off an apple or banana if I'm eating it.
So now you probably know why I haven't posted in awhile. He is keeping me very busy.  I have a little boy version of myself, the child my parents wished upon me. They are so very pleased they got their wish! :) I don't mind I am able to keep up with him pretty good. He is my little buddy.