Dear Peanut,
I really cannot believe that you are six months old. That's an entire half of a year. It just seems crazy. I know all mothers say this, but it really does just go so fast. Too fast. And you're my last baby! So can you do me a favor and slow the hell down a little bit? I would appreciate it...
It seems as though the changes from five months to six months are just huge. It is like in this last month you have become this "kid." I mean I know you're still a baby, but you are most definitely out of that helpless/just laying around/only milk drinking phase. You have things to do and places to go! And you want to touch it all. And put it ALL in your mouth. You are affectionately known as "Grabby McGrabberstein" in our house. If you can reach it, you are taking it and promptly putting it in your mouth. And those toys? The ones that are actually meant for your mouth? Well, you aren't so much interested in those anymore. You would prefer to grab my iPhone, the remote control, the fork...anything and everything that I would prefer you leave alone. Something tells me you are going to be a bit more of a challenge than your brother was. But that's okay. I am up for the task.
The biggest change this month has been the addition of solid food. Much to the amazement of everyone who knows me I am actually making all of your baby food. I know, right? I have found that it lessens the sadness of my not being the only thing providing you with nourishment anymore. If I have a hand in everything that goes into your mouth then somehow I am still providing for you. You liked food from the start but were a little confused at the concept that you actually have to open your mouth to get it in there. But we have passed that hurdle and you now open like a champ. You are pretty indifferent to rice cereal (although I force it on you at every meal because I want you to get the iron) but you LOVE you some apples and pears. You have also tried peas (didn't mind the taste but Mommy couldn't get it smooth enough for you so you don't love it) and sweet potatoes (again not thrilled with the consistency but will eat it if it is mixed with enough rice cereal or breast milk). I also made you a potato/broccoli puree this weekend and again, you don't love the thickness of it, but will eat it when mixed with something else. But right now nothing beats those apples and pears. You swoon over them!
You are still nursing and we have successfully made it through six full months of only breast milk. I am so proud of both of us for accomplishing this. I love our breast feeding relationship and am sad that it is getting less and less face time, but you are growing up. And this is what happens.
Your daily schedule right now begins with nursing once in the early morning (around 5:00am), and then you blissfully go back to sleep. You wake up and nurse again around 8:00am and then hang out with brother playing with toys until around 10:00am when you go down for a nap. Once you wake up you get your first solid food of the day, usually rice cereal and either apples or bananas. Then we usually leave the house and run errands or have lunch and you are always completely charming during these outings. Everyone I interact with constantly says to me, "Is she always this good?" Yes. Yes, you are. We have a nursing break at around 1:00pm and then continue whatever it is we are doing for the day. By about 2:30 or 3:00pm you are pretty tired and we usually nurse before you go down for your second nap. Sometimes you take a good nap, but usually not so much. You aren't the greatest napper in the world my little one. But you make up for it in other areas. If we get a good morning nap usually the afternoon one isn't so hot. Around 5:00 or 5:30 you get your second serving of solid foods for the day. Usually rice cereal and a veggie. Then you stay in your high chair and chill with your brother and me while we eat dinner. Then bath time. And at 7:30pm we begin the process of going to sleep. I change your diaper and put you in your sleep sack and take you out to the living room and nurse you in the dark. Then we rock in our rocking chair for another 10 minutes or so (you used to fall asleep during this time but now you look around and arch your back and play) and then I put you in your crib. I turn on your mobile and white noise and leave you to dreamland. You always chat in there but never fuss and are always asleep within about 10 minutes. You usually stay asleep until around 5:00am but sometimes wake up in the middle of the night for a binky replacement, or if you are starving, sometimes a snack around 2:30 or 3:00am.
In terms of milestones, you have hit a few this month. You can sit unassisted for about 30 seconds. You haven't yet mastered rolling from your tummy to your back, but if placed down on your back you immediately flip onto your stomach and start reaching for things. You are already up on all fours and "scooting" backward. Please stop this immediately. I am NOT prepared for you to crawl. Seriously. Cut it out. Really not ready.
Second to your Mommy, your brother is still your most favorite person in the world. You love to be near him and to hang out with him. He watches out for you too. He checks on you all the time and is always there to just "have your back."
Here you are showing off your sitting skills. And the bib? That's for the drool. Oh, the drool. It is everywhere. No sign of teeth yet, but man are you the drool master.
You went to your first Pumpkin Patch this past weekend. And when I tried to get the mandatory cute photos of you, you were far too busy shoving hay and dirt into your mouth to look up at me and the camera.
Here is an example of the trouble you get into with your brother. I have no idea how you made it inside his tent. Perhaps you "scooted" there, perhaps he dragged you. But either way you were not unhappy about it. As I said, you love being part of his action.
And finally, here is your monthly bean bag shot. That smile, my beautiful daughter, that smile could light up a thousand skies. You smile with your eyes and your entire face. You really mean it when you smile. It is physically impossible to not smile back at you. I have proof. I have yet to see someone NOT smile back at you when you flash this beautiful grin.
I love you more than words can say my little Peanut. You are the best addition to our lives anyone could ever ask for. These last six months with you have been more fun than I ever could have imagined. I can't wait to see what the next six month brings. Happy half birthday my love!
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