Six months Jun 15 - Jul 15 2013

Six months!

Dear Harper,

We celebrated your sixth month birthday the other day.  Maddie loves cupcakes and I have been trying to save cupcakes for special occasions only so that when she sees them at the store and asks for one I can say "Oh, those must be for someones birthday" or "we don't have anyone's birthday coming.  We can get a cupcake to celebrate the next birthday in our family"  After Daddy's birthday in June Maddie and I got to talking about who was next and it was me 6 months away which seemed so far so I told her we could celebrate your 1/2 birthday as well as Maddie's.  She was so excited.  We made birthday signs and got birthday hats and cards and sang to each of you on your half birthday!

You have started sitting and entertaining yourself more and more.  The swing and the lamb chair are on their way out and the highchair is here and ready for your first solid food experience!  You've also started mimicking which is so funny.  You and I sit while I feed you and make sounds back and forth.

Here are your updates this month!

Teeth: Still only two shiny white pearly beautiful bottom teeth.  You're still teething like crazy.  We have a frozen watermelon that you love to chew on.

Sleep: I'm so happy that you have started sleeping through the night again.  You aren't liking being put to bed.  You've started showing your feelings of distaste when you don't like something and going to bed is one of the things you really dislike!  You cry anywhere from a few seconds to a few minutes.  You take about an hour nap in the morning from 8:50 or so to 10:50.  Your afternoon nap is from 12 or 1 (somewhere in that time frame) until you decide to wake up.  Sometimes your afternoon nap is one hour and sometimes it's two.  Bed time is generally when you get cranky which always seems to be at 6:50.

Food: We are starting you on solid pureed food this week but you have been munching on mum-mum's for a couple of weeks now.  Your poor gums hurt.  You must have some top teeth coming in soon.

Sitting Up: You've started supporting yourself while playing.  I can let you go for a few minutes at a time now but I'm not able to walk away.  I feel so good when I am able to let you sit on your own.  I have felt you were board with tummy time and laying on your back for sometime.  I am so happy you can see life from a new perspective and guess what!?!  You're one step closer to being able to really play actively with Maddie which I am looking forward to but I think she's going to be a tough cookie when it comes to sharing!  We'll work on that!  For the most part you are still primarily supporting yourself on your arms and rolling over A LOT.  You are a rock star at rolling over!

General Temperament: You are such a happy,smiley baby.  You are just a ball of sunshine.  You cry from your crib at times when we lay you down and will cry and cry to let us know something is wrong.  You scream bloody murder and we will open the door and it's an instant grin from ear to ear!  Your smile is so lovely and it's one of my very favorite traits of yours.  You aren't scared of strangers but I feel you may be starting to become attached to me since we spend every single day together.  You let anyone hold you and often smile at strangers when we are out and about but you will often stare them down as well which your sister did.  You look at people with this intense face and it cracks me up.

Night time Routine:  Night time routine starts at 5:30 around here!  We start dinners (yes, dinnerS).  Daddy and I eat one type of meal, Maddie has a meal of her own because she doesn't care for much of what we eat and I also warm up your baby food.  At some point Daddy comes home during this frenzy and you get fed once I get Maddie situated.  After dinner we get all cleaned up, clean up the kitchen and spend some time on the floor. We get dressed for bed around 6:45 or so and we offer you a bottle which you sometimes take all or some of and sometimes none.  Bedtime is at 7,  

Here you are one morning after waking up.  Daddy noticed your toe sticking out of your sleeper!  Better retire this one.  It's our very favorite sleeper that you and Maddie wore.

Playtime:  We like to put a blanket on the floor in the living room and dump all of your toys out!  Maddie will often play with your toys.  Your favorite toys are your bouncer and swing.  I'm about to get out the next level of toys for you to play with.  You're getting bored of your baby toys.

You went swimming for the first time on July 4th!  The water was so cold we couldn't really put you in very far so you sat with Daddy until we wrapped you up in a towel.

(this is the look you give strangers while we're out and about that cracks me up!)

T.V.:  You tune into Maddie's shows sometimes but you definitely don't have "a show".  If anything, you like "Baby First TV" which has short developmental programming for babies to preschoolers.  The programs are very colorful with simple looking characters which I think you are attracted to.

Weight:  

6 months: 19 lbs

Length:

6 months:  28

Diaper Size:

Size 3 .

Clothes Size:

6 months, 6-9 months 

Hair Color:

6 months: Blonde

Eye color:

6 months - You have your Daddy's blue eyes, there is no doubt about it.