6 months old!

Happy half-birthday, Sweet Caroline! How can you be six months old already? Surely you can't be growing up this fast. Just about every time we take you out, our friends say, "Look how big she's getting!" Except of course when you're in the sling and you look like a tiny little papoose! You truly are growing into such a precious little girl, and you get sweeter and sweeter each month.

~ You are now rolling over both ways easily! Although, we don't see you roll from your tummy to your back much anymore, because you would much rather be on your tummy! The very moment I lay you down on a blanket/playmat/bed, you immediately flip to your tummy to see what you can reach for!
~ You are working very hard on sitting up by yourself, but you're not quite there yet! You can do it for up to 10-15 seconds at a time, but then you topple right over, so I have to make sure I'm right there with you when you're practicing!
~ You are really starting to love your exersaucer this month. You started using it last month, but your feet can now touch the platform, so you can bounce and spin all around and reach all the toys. You have even figured out how to push the little buttons to make the music play.
~ Speaking of music, your favorite toys are definitely the ones that play music. You have a few of them and you love to hold them and reach for them and chew on them as they play.
~ You love to grab Mommy or Daddy or big sister's face with both your hands and give big slobbery kisses. Anna Kate is not sure how she feels about this yet, but mommy and daddy love it!
~ We have started going to the park a lot more this month for a few reasons: first, the weather has been nicer, but secondly, you are starting to enjoy it more yourself! You are perfectly content to swing in the baby swings for quite a long time. You are not sure why I won't let you down to play in the sand, but you'll settle for the swing for now!
~ Your sweet toothless smile that I mentioned last month has become even bigger. I understand what the expression "grinning from ear to ear" looks like now. It's also getting pretty easy to get it out of you...usually all it takes is looking at you. What can I say, you like attention!
~ About that attention, you are finally starting to be more willing to laugh and smile and yes, even be held by people other than Mommy and Daddy! Of course, we're still your favorites, but you are becoming much more friendly and outgoing!
~ You still love to be worn in the sling or baby bjorn by either Mommy or Daddy. You frequently get "worn" on walks, or around church, or even just around the house. I think you like feeling the closeness, but also being able to see the world from our perspective.
~ You now definitely know the words "milk" and "hungry". You can't say them of course, but when I ask you if you want some milk, or if you're hungry, you immediately throw yourself back and assume a nursing position in my arms =)
~ I think your eyes have finally settled on a color, but it's very unique. They are definitely dark, but it's almost like they are a perfect combination of Mommy and Daddy's eyes. They are brown, but with a dark bluish tint. I really have never seen any just like them, but they are beautiful!
~ You really love your big sister. You laugh and smile at just about anything she does (even when she's getting in trouble...ha!), and you love to reach out and touch her face, her hair, whatever you can grab. I am so looking forward to seeing you interact more and more.
~ You got your first real sickness this month: pink eye. It's been going around church and somehow the rest of us were able to escape it, but you had a full-blown case. You were so pitiful with your oozy red eyes =( You also HATED the eye drops that I had to give you! But you are back to your happy little self now and for that I am grateful!
~ I am afraid to say that I think your days of swaddling might be numbered. You still absolutely love it, and it's the only way you will sleep, but just within the past day or two you have figured out how to roll over to your tummy while swaddled. You don't do it until you're ready to wake up, but then you get stuck! Luckily, I'm never very far and I come and rescue you...but I think you may have to learn to sleep without it...
~ About that sleeping thing, you are now only waking up 2-3 times per night! That's actually really good for you! In fact, last night, we put you to bed at 8, and then you only woke up at midnight and four! Hopefully we are on the uphill swing of this whole sleep regression =)

Caroline Hope, what a special baby girl you are! And what a wonderful six months it has been since you first joined our family on that early October morning. We love you!

And of course, here are your pictures.

One month


Two months


Three months


Four months


Five months


Six months!


And Anna Kate at six months!