Emmie: Six months

Dear Emmie,

Today is your six-month birthday and you have officially been with us for an entire half year. I just can't believe how fast the time has gone. It feels like it was just days ago that we were bringing you home from the hospital and watching you sleep all the time.



The last month has been filled with new things for you. The biggest was when you learned to sit up by yourself. One day I sat you on the floor and balanced you and you sat for five then eight then 10 seconds. By the next day, you could sit for a minute and now we can give you a toy and set you in place and you can sit there content for a few minutes. You look so proud of yourself when you do it, too. Like "Look at me! I am a big girl!"

The sitting was followed shortly thereafter by the ability to grab your feet, which delighted you to no end. You've been doing crunches for the last two months and we finally figured out that you do them so you can see your feet. But then you figured out to bend your legs so you could access the feet and you were so pleased. And because you are a giant, you were also able to get your feet immediately into your mouth. Again, there was joy in Mudville.



When I say you are a giant, I am really not kidding. Your big doctor appointment is next week and I can't wait to see how long you are and how much you weigh. You are so long and skinny and your little face is just so petite. Your smile lights up the room and your dimples are so adorable I just want to eat your little face. Your biggest smiles are normally reserved for me and Daddy, but lately you have gotten a little shy around strangers and have been known to cry if an unknown person holds you, especially when you are in an unfamiliar environment.

Strangers can't help but say hello to you when we are out and about because of your hair. It is quite a conversation-starter with the three-inch blonde mane that stands straight up on the top. You look like a blonde baby Don King and it's so cute. Every night after your bath I comb it down and every morning when you wake up, there it is standing at attention once again. When it's wet and lying flat on your head you look like a totally different baby -- your face looks rounder and your cheeks look almost chubby.



You will get your first taste of solid food next week, after your doctor appointment. So far, you've been happy with the boob and everything is still going great with it. You eat every three hours and you really don't care if you get it from a bottle or straight from the source. As long as someone is feeding you, you are happy.

You're also a little rolling log these last few weeks. I put you down on your tummy and you roll immediately to your back, and then again to your front and before I know it, you're several feet from where I left you. But I never need to worry about losing you because your brother gives me a running commentary on everything you do now. "Emmie roll over! Emmie sit!"



Now that you can sit up and hold toys and interact more, Jack is much more interested in playing with you. He loves to bring you a toy and shove it into your hand for you to hold and he always tries to share his food with you. I have to remind him at every meal that you can't have any, but it is so nice of him to share. He is still hitting you here and there, but he spends more of his time loving you. Every morning when he wakes up, he asks "Emmie wake?" and if you happen to be awake and sitting in your bouncy seat in the bathroom when he comes in, he lays a huge unsolicited kiss on you. And every night before you go to bed he gives you a hug and a kiss and says, "Night night Emmie."

Most mornings, you wake up after him because you need to sleep in a little after being awake so many times during the night. We put you to bed between 6:30 and 7:30 every night and you usually give us a whopping three hours before you need to get up and eat again. Then you sleep for another three hours, when you want to eat. Again. Then you wake up about two hours later, which at this point is usually around 1-2 a.m. and I bring you into bed with me because I am too tired to keep getting up and feeding you. You eat a few more times while you are in bed with me before I finally put you in the swing around 6 a.m. for two hours. In total, I would say you are still waking about four times per night. It's killing me. But you're skinny so I haven't made you cry it out yet because I think you need the calories. Our big sleep breakthrough this month was transitioning you from your swing to the crib for all your naps, which you did quite well. One night you flipped onto your tummy and slept a little better and from then on, you became a tummy-sleeper. After you started that, you had no problem with the crib. I just give you a pacifier, rock you for about 10 seconds in my arms and put you down. You flip onto your stomach, sometimes fuss for a minute or two, and you're out like a light.

But even when you're not sleeping, which by extension means I'm not sleeping, I can't be upset with you because you are just so damn cute. You have started reaching out for me recently, which is such a great feeling. When I am holding you on my lap, you love to grab my face and pull it toward you and laugh. You are such a happy baby -- always up for anything we are doing, be it the park or a playgroup or just hanging out at home. When I get you up in the morning, you have a huge smile on your face and you kick your legs and make this hilarious gurgling noise deep in your throat. Then you bury your face in my neck as I smother you with kisses. I call you my Sweetie Emmie because you are just such a sweet, likeable little girl. I know you won't always be easy to like (hello, teenage hormones) but always remember that your Daddy and I love you very much.



My love for you has taken my breath away at times in the last six months. There are nights where I check on you at night and watch you sleep and I see your whole life spread out before you. I want such great things for you -- friendship, love, happiness -- and I know you will achieve big things. I can't wait to watch you grow into a strong, independent, educated woman. You have some great female role models in your life in your grandmothers and aunts, and of course me, so I hope you can learn from us. I certainly learn from you every day and just when I think I couldn't love you more, I do.

Love,
Mommy