IVK 5-6 months

Happy very belated 6 month birthday!

I cannot believe 6 months have passed already.  I feel like you were just a newborn or even I was just pregnant with you.  You are such a sweetie pie.  You have done so much over the past month, I have to try to remember most of it.  You and your brother are keeping me very busy.  Also now that I'm a part time career mommy too, things are bit more challenging but we are making it work for us all.

I know you can feel the love in our household, even in your little 6 month old heart :).  Daddy, big brother and I just adore.  Daddy is enjoying you more because you are interacting so much more.  And the same with big brother.  He treats you so well--I have no complaints about the way you two interact.  The way you look at him, I can tell you love him too.  You guys love to hold hands while in the car seat and sometimes you two even fall asleep that way too.  Melts mommy and daddy's heart to see you guys get along so well.  We have tons of videos of you this month.  Some of the best ones are of you and your brother goofing off.  He loves to try to make you laugh and you are usually happy to oblige.  You and your brother's laughter are the sweetest sounds ever!

You are enrolled in childcare full time but really only go part time hours unless there's something I have to do, like appts etc.  You seem to like it and don't really fuss when I leave.  I wish there were less kids there but that's how it is for now.  I prefer it to home daycare since we are new to the area and don't really trust anyone to care for you without another adult present. You do seem super excited and grab at my face when I pick you up.  So cute!

I finally started you on solid foods about a week before you turned 6 months but we were inconsistent because that was around Thanksgiving and we did a lot of traveling. We started you on avocado, which you loved.  You seem to like eating.  We have also tried cereal, bananas, and sweet potatoes.  I think you like avocados the best so far.  You seem to like sitting in your high chair next to big brother.  You make cute faces when you don't want to particularly eat and sometimes gag when you are full.

You have been sitting up without support (did this right at 6 months).  You still don't like being on your belly but will sometimes roll over from back to belly if you are trying to reach something.  You bounce up and down on our lap while standing.  When we put you to stand while holding onto something, you can do so but then topple over.  You love grabbing at things, banging toys around.  You love jumping up and down in the jumperoo.  You like to help feed yourself so I give you your own spoon when feeding you.  You nurse and I pump but you are also drink formula since I'm not a mass milk producer.  Doing well with both.

You have a sweet personality but gets clingy to me at times and doesn't want anyone holding you (not even daddy).  There are times when you just want to snuggle with your mama and you let us know when.  I don't think your fussy BUT when you are mad you let us know with your still piercing scream (you had a cold and lost your voice for a few days which was weird because we were so used to your loud scream).  You cry mainly when you are hungry or tired.  You are super friendly and smile at everyone, especially if you are in my arms.  Sometimes you'll smile then bury your head in my shoulder.  You also like biting on my shoulder, especially if I'm wearing a patterned shirt.

You love to sleep and you are overall a great sleeper.  With some sleep training you are able to sleep through the night and have been doing so for quite some time.  You get to bed around 7 and wake up 630-730.  When you get good naps in the daytime, you sleep longer and without any interruptions.  You take about 3 naps per day but I think you would take more if we let you.  As I said, you love your sleep.  For the past few weeks, I've been putting you down wide awake for naps (like I do for bedtime) and you put yourself to sleep.  It's been pretty sweet.  You wake up so sweetly (by cooing and talking to yourself).  By the way, you've been a chatterbox lately--blowing bubbles, chatting, and making blowing sounds).  Oh I need to add that you are now a thumb sucker (which makes life easy now but I'm dreading future weaning off it).  Nap and bedtime routines are kind of special.  I love how you know it's time, when at home, and bury your face in my shoulder with thumb in mouth as soon as we enter your dark room.

I think you have 2 bottom teeth that are going to be coming in soon.  The gum in those areas look white and you are drooling a lot and chewing on everything.  You still looove baths.  Your dark brown hair is still growing like wildfire with lots of volume :).  Sometimes you look as if you are wearing a wig. Ha! It's a little curlier than your brother's hair.  You are still pretty petite although growing pretty well.  Everyone says you look more like your dad (even strangers).  Nonna and the K family say you look like your dad's grandma who passed away a few years ago.  I agree that you guys look a lot alike.

Big events: Pumpkin patch with the Foxes wearing your outfit Amy got you, trick or treating as a lady bug, flew to Florida from California and back (first time flying and did fair), celebrated thanksgiving with daddy's family but saw my family too briefly.  Wore your outfit that Amy got for you for thanksgiving, Christmas in California with the Duff's and Foxes.  Did some family hikes and park visits on days when it wasn't raining cats and dogs.

Mrs. K