6 Month Newsletter

Dear Sweet Nan,

You are half a year old now. I knew it was coming, sneaking up fast on us. But it hit me hard the day it happened. Maybe because you turned 6 months the day your big sister turned 6 years. That was hard to take.

This last month you pretty much stayed how you've been. Rolling around on the floor makes you happy. But you also love more than anything to be held while we walk around. You are finally able to balance well enough to sit up. When we are out and I need to put you down for just a moment, I can set you on your tushy and you stay happily reaching for all that is in front of you.
But in just the last few days you army crawled across the floor. I was your first goal and that makes me happy. The very morning you turned 6 months, I was in the bathroom getting ready to take Gwennie to school, and you were on your tummy. I looked away to do something and when I looked back you were there sitting up, pleased as punch at your new accomplishment.
You have found your voice, and you use it. Though, as Daddy likes to point out, your screaming cry isn't shrill like Gwennie's was. In the car you often babble to yourself, and you have started practicing your consonant sounds, B, D, G. M only comes out when you are hungry and want to nurse, you suck your lips into your mouth and say "Mmmmmmmm" not like "Mmm that was delicious" more like a cry. But you don't do it all of the time.

I have started signing with you, using the signs for milk, more, all done, cat, dog. I don't know if you get any of them yet. But we'll see.You want to be ready for solid foods, so I will plop a small pile of food in front of you while we eat. Often this is rice, pasta, quinoa, bread, something like that. You play with it and attempt to move it to your mouth. Most of it ends up on the floor which is perfectly fine with me.

Last weekend we went on an overnight family trip to Flagstaff. While we were there you tried out a swing for the first time. I placed you in it and you smiled very big. I pushed you slowly and you were still happy. Then Rhayn came over, she pushed you big and you did not like that. Your bottom lip popped out, you looked terrified. I had to tell her that it was your first time in a swing and you weren't yet sure of it. She felt like a bad big sister for that, but we all do those kind of things and regret them.
I can not believe how big you are getting and how much fun you are to watch. It won't be long before we really have to put up all of the baby gates and other childproofing things to keep you out of places we don't want you to be.

But I will enjoy this part, holding on to you tightly before your wings unfurl and you flit away from me.

~mama