6 Months (“Better Late Than Never” Edition)

Gwendolyn, you’re 6 months old!

By the numbers: 6 months old. 15ish lbs. 6 feedings per day. 1 night waking, typically. 1 time sleeping through the night! 2 naps per day. size 3 diapers. size 6-9 month clothes.

When we put you to sleep, we often sing you a lullaby* that goes like this:

Hey, beautiful girl,
Daddy loves you, loves you,
Most beautiful girl in the whole wide world.

There’s a bridge that includes these words:

…Sweet little girls get older.
But when your tooth aches, or your heart breaks,
Will you still cry on my shoulder?

I know 6 months is not really that old. Yet, you’re already half a year old. Your babyhood feels like sand rushing through my fingers, as you rush to go and do the next thing.

You started solid foods this month, a step I would have taken slower if not for your obvious desire to speed into it. You had been eyeing my food for a while, but I resisted your interest. (I prefer waiting to introduce solids until babies can sit up well). However, one night as we ate applesauce with dinner, you watched your daddy longingly, your open mouth following his spoon from bowl to bite. You were clearly desperate to try this new thing, so we gave you some. Oh my word. You lapped it up. When you had eaten it all, you burst into tears, wailing to express dismay that there was no more. You’ve eaten two to three meals of solids per day ever since.

In your sixth month, you’ve also discovered more sounds you can make. You added a consonant to your coos. Now you express contentment with a repeated breathy “ba.” You also like thumping your hands. When you wake up from a good sleep, you lie on your side, rhythmically patting the bed with one hand and softly uttering “ba, ba, ba.” When you’re excited at play–on your tummy–you smack both hands on the floor fast; on your back, you delightedly kick your feet. “Baby stomping!” your brother says, as your heels pound our wood floors. And you’ve figured out the fun to be had if you carry that hand-flapping, foot-stomping behavior into the bath. You splash vigorously now, stopping to splutter when you slosh water over your face, then grinning and starting again.

As I recently thought about how to sum up your personality, I decided the best word is “independent.” You are generally happy to play wherever I lay you down. You occupy yourself pretty well. There would be times–when your brother demanded my attention for lengthy periods–that I would almost forget you were awake, enjoying your own little corner of the living room. You’re so alert and engaged with your toys that you don’t need me to entertain you. That makes you a rather easy baby. But I want to make sure I don’t let your independence cause me to miss out on playing with you, soaking up your sweet baby days. Because…

Hey, beautiful girl,
Mommy loves you, loves you,
Most beautiful girl in the whole wide world.

*”Beautiful Girl” by Andrew Peterson, on the album Slugs & Bugs & Lullabies