Dear Jack: Six Months

Dear Jack,

There seems to be something that happens around six months with babies as they grow.  Suddenly, there is a change.  And you have hit that place.

You are bubbling over with so much more personality.  You are so happy all the time (unless you are hungry) and laugh at everything.  It is so easy to get you to smile, even at a camera.

You are intrigued by everything around you.  You can sit up now on your own, and we have started giving you regular baths without your whale for support.  You just tried to sit up and lean forward in it anyway.  This has made bathtime enjoyable for you and more of "splash zone" at Sea World for me.  We had some unusually warm weather and took advantage of the beach.  You had so much fun eating sand and laughing at the wind.  I can't wait for the summer when we'll spend lots of time at the beach.

Your speech is developing well.  You have been babbling for a while, and your first word was "dada".  You have tried to say "mom," but instead it comes out "ba mommmm-ba".  You say "ba" a lot too.

We're still working on food and bottles with you.  You hate bottles (and sippy cups).  You will not drink from anyone but me.  You are taking your time with food too, which was the same with Eliot.

 

You are growing all the time.  You are wearing size six month clothes at some stores and also nine month sleepers.  You weigh over seventeen pounds!  Your fuzzy hair continues to grow longer, but it isn't filling out much more.  You look like a baby bird with soft, down feather.  I think your blue eyes are officially here to stay.  When you were born, I figured your blue eyes would change and your dark hair would stay; it ended up being the complete opposite!

You and I have had some trouble with sleep lately.  Your sleep kept getting worse and worse until you were awake almost constantly all night.  Then I managed to get you to sleep in your crib.  You still get up every couple of hours usually, but I keep you in your room until morning (usually about 6:00 am) when you will be waking up every thirty minutes anyway until you are up for the day.  Your brother never slept in his crib (not one night) even when I would climb in there with him, so while it is rough with you waking up so often, it is refreshing that I don't have to fight to keep you in your own space.  And you roll around so much that I think you appreciate NOT co-sleeping!

We just finished up celebrating Christmas with you and Eliot.  While you didn't understand what was going on, it was fun to watch you unwrap presents (with a little help) and get excited about new toys.  You also are very interested in your brother's toys--maybe moreso than your own.  You love to hold things and they go straight into your mouth.  Eliot, of course, is not excited about you eating his toys.

Jack, we are half-way to a year.  I know everything is going to be different when we get to a year, and everything keeps on changing now as it is.  I'm trying to enjoy this time even though it is flying by and I am honestly so excited for warmer weather.  This is a special time with you as my baby, my littlest one.  So sweet and precious, you always make me feel important and happy.  I love you, Jack.  I am so thankful that you came into our lives.