Month Six Letter

Dear Madds,

You are six months old today. Half a year! It's the official solids time (but we started already) and it's time you can wear sunscreen, you are supposed to start drinking from cups... How can that be, already?

This month has revolved much around sleep and teaching us how to best put you to sleep. And we FINALLY worked it out! You are almost always a happy and rested child now (except of course yesterday at the church banquet that baba and dido were so excited to have you at). You go to bed pretty well, with only some crying, and when you wake you almost always wake with a smile and by playing in your bed by yourself. Your naps are short but regular. And now that you aren't overtired your joyous personality is shining through!

Your personality? It's amazing! You are so much fun! You smile so much and laugh and giggle and love to visit with people. You are so easy going for the most part. It's easy to convince you to smile (just sing) and you are almost always willing to throw out a charming little grin to whoever is around. But when it's something you really want or when you are tired? Then you can have a complete and utter tantrum. It's loud and squeally. Very very loud and very very squeally.

You are a rolling machine and get everywhere in a room. Roll, roll, roll, grab dog toy and chew on it, roll, roll, roll... We should really finish that baby-proofing. And everything is grabbed for and reached for and put in your mouth. Everything. You have tried to even pull dido's mustache off to explore! You are sitting up pretty well now which is awesome to see. Although you still don't know to use your arms to brace yourself when you fall. So you just topple forward and land on your head. Baby steps, right Nunu?

Your nicknames... there are so many! Which is likely why you still don't really know your name. We call you Maddy, Madds, Goober, Goob-chik, Nunu, Madeline (said with a horrible french accent), miss-miss, grump-a-lump, grump-a-saur-a-pus, baby girl... Although I am trying really hard to just use Maddy until we can get you to understand that is who you are. And I am also repeating "mama" a lot, for obvious reasons.

You are eating solids and have been for a month. Today I gave you your first sip of formula from an open cup (went ok, all things considered) and also a sippy cup with water in it. This week we're starting meats and more veggies and fruit. And every day you are looking and acting more like a big girl and less like the baby you were 6 months ago. Tongue sticking out? Not as fun. My Maddy lies over the ocean is blasé. Itsy bitsy spider had it for a bit but that too is fading. And dada's Rudolph is also not as popular. But we still sing to you whenever we can. Music is important to us, and hope it'll be important to you.

Before we conceived you, I was reading blogs (where I got the idea for this) and wondered if parents could objectively look at their child, to see their child outside the love they have for them. I thought I would be able to, that I could assess if you were really cute or if you had big ears or if you were just a little weird. Well, I love you with every cell in my body and I think you are gorgeous and amazing and sweet and wonderful. You are my daughter and I think you are the most perfect Madeline ever. Although, Maddy, this doesn't mean that I won't get upset with something you have done. But no matter what you do, I will always love you for the person you are.

Six months have passed in the blink of an eye. And I am doing everything I can to enjoy every second with you, in the moment. But I also can't wait to see what the next six months (or six years or six decades) will bring!

Love,

Mama