SIX months old!

Half of a year. Closer to being one than none. 6 times 30 days. 365 divided 2. Doesn't matter how you add it up, the math will never make sense. Time flies faster than the speed of sound with you Maverick. Oh, but we enjoy the meantime.

Here's what's going on in your world, at 6 months old.

~This month, at about 5 and a half months, you got your first tooth! The bottom left tooth. Exactly one week later, the right one popped through as well. I would have never known you were teething, except for the large amounts of drool pouring out of your mouth for days on end. But there was no fever, no sleepless nights, no whining or crying. Nothing seems to upset you! What a brave and strong boy you are! You have "bit" Mommy only once so far with your new teeth, just testing them out I guess. Well, they work. Please don't let that happen again! You now have the two little white lines along your bottom gums when you smile, what a big boy!

~You sleep so well and still go down without any fuss. You still nap two, sometimes three times a day, and go to bed around 8. You usually wake around 11 and I just go in and feed you and put you back in your crib, I usually haven't went to bed yet. Then, I think you wake again around 3 still, and usually Daddy goes and gets you and brings you to bed with us, your nurse a bit and sleep the rest of the night snuggled right into me. It is the best feeling in the whole wide world. We fit together so perfect, you love to snuggle in bed and get right close and cosy. I will cherish those cuddles the rest of my days, they are some of my favorite times with you. Most nights, you sleep the rest of the night with us until I hear Tula in the morning around 7. You are usually asleep and I bring you back to your crib and set you there while I go get Tula and have some time with her. We usually just go back to bed and cuddle for a few minutes, and you are awake in your crib, laying on your back, kicking your feet and talking to yourself. Usually, I can get up with Tula and do breakfast, you last about a half hour in there and then you are ready to start your day.

~You are sitting up so well! All by yourself! This actually started about two weeks ago, but you have just gotten better and stronger and straighter every day. For the last week, I have actually been able to set you down on the floor by yourself and walk away without you flopping over. You like to sit outside on the grass and watch Daddy work. Or sit on the living room floor and watch Sister play and bring you toys. This is another big change from Tula. She wasn't sitting on her own until she was about 7 months old and I have no idea why there would be such a difference. Maybe it's the size difference? maybe it's a boy thing? Maybe you get held less, or are more interested in your surroundings? I have thought lots about it and come up with the conclusion that I have no idea! but you are sitting and it makes playtime with your sister a lot more fun, she is happy you are able to interact a little more and you love the new view from "way up there".

~You tried solid foods! I started out this month thinking you were nowhere near ready, and I felt that was still true until one day last week you were just cranky and impossible to please. Both of your teeth were through so I knew it couldn't be teething. I decided to let you try rice cereal and Daddy fed you your first bowl.. You LOVED it and gobbled it all up. You ate like an old pro too, swallowing most bites and careful not to let it all fall out of your mouth. We have tried the rice cereal a few more time since then, basically when you seem interested in food or hungry, but it really hasn't been that much. Oh yeah, and you did have bananas one morning this week for breakfast as well. We have tried a little sippy cup as well with water and you seem to "get it". Mostly, we are still playing with all this stuff and on no sort of a solid food eating routine as of yet, though I think with your big appetite that is right around the corner. I gave you one of those biter biscuit cookies and you loved that, you would cry ever time it slipped out of your fingers. It's fun watching you discover and enjoy all these fun things that the real world has to offer. On the other hand, I love the pureness of you and the cleanness of nothing foreign ever being consumed by you. I love the warm and wonderful smell of your baby breath, I hope I never ever forget. Even your diapers aren't that stinky when they are just breastmilk diapers. I almost died the day after the banana when I had to change that diaper. I will really miss the breast-fed baby breath and diaper smell.

~You haven't really had much for finger foods. I tired giving you Puffs the other day and you aren't really at the stage to be able to pick something up with your two fingers, and then bring it to you mouth is another thing. The cookie I gave you, I swear the only time it was in your mouth was when I put it there and for as long as you could suck to keep it there. The hand to mouth coordination isn't there yet, though your hands are almost always in your mouth. Weird huh?

~You now sit in highchairs at restaurants. Well, actually, we bring in a chair that hooks onto the table for you and Tula usually will sit at the end of the table in a highchair and you are beside me in your Green chair. You are getting to the stage where I can give you a little toy or something and it will entertain you for a whole meal. You are very good in restaurants, too. What a treat. We never thought it possible to go out with two but Mommy and Daddy have actually had some great restaurant experiences with the two of you. Wonder how long that will last?

~Your hair is starting to fill in up top and you have sandy blonde hair and the most beautiful set of blue eyes I have ever seen. Your smile, and that gorgeous dimple on your left cheek melt my heart every day. I am convinced you will grow to be the most handsome man on the planet, you are such a beautiful baby and I hear it all the time! The funny thing is, even if I had never heard I would still think it were true! Could I be biased? Maybe...

~You love your jumperoo. You get a huge smile and pretty much laugh out loud while jumping. Squeal and scream. You stay in there for up to half an hour sometimes, which is great relief for Mommy's back.

~You are a very big boy, at last check about 3 weeks ago you were 18.5 pounds, but I will go get you and Sister weighed this week to see for sure. It is very possible that you guys will be the same size. You are so big and strong!

Maverick, I know I say it all the time but are are so good and bring nothing but joy to our world. Thanks for being an absolute pleasure. You are a dream child.

Mommy loves you more than you could ever know. Happy 6 month birthday, baby boy!