6 Months Old!!!

Dear Carter,

Six months old?? Half a year??!!! I wouldn't believe it if it weren't that you've doubled in size and grown from a tiny newborn into a little boy. How far you've come since January 29th!(In your Yankees attire, courtesy of Aunt JuJu)

It seems that you have changed this month more than any month prior. Let's see.... you are eating solids, and so far you're not a picky eater. Maybe you have Mom's taste buds. You've eaten sweet potatoes, squash, bananas, applesauce, peas, green beans, prunes, and peaches. Bananas are by far your favorite. Peas....not so much. You literally gag when I feed them to you. But you come by it honestly. Your GrandMary and Papa didn't believe that peas made your Mommy sick until they all came back up one day. So, I am not pressing the peas on you. The funniest thing about meal time is that you love to prop your feet up on the frame where the tray should snap on. And sometimes, you'll shove your foot in your mouth right after a bite of sweet potatoes. For the time being, I'm just going with it. But when you turn 15, that's not gonna impress the ladies.Yesterday, you sipped water from a real cup! I had read that we should teach you how to drink from a "grown up" cup before trying out the sippy cup. You did great and couldn't get enough water. Maybe that explains why you wet through your diaper and pjs last night.

Speaking of cups, red plastic ones can entertain you for hours. You also had a ball with a brown cardboard box. Who needs Baby Einstein multi-colored, musical toys??? You could also spend hours in the jumperoo. We love to watch you giggle with delight as you bounce, spin, and stand. You still enjoy the exersaucer but get frustrated when some of the parts won't bend over far enough to make it into your mouth. I think we're about to retire the beloved swing. While you still fall within the weight allowance, you kick so much that it causes the whole swing to shake. And that makes Mom a wee bit nervous.

One of your favorite games is peek-a-boo. We even play it with GrandMary over the computer with our cameras! One afternoon, while we were playing on the bed (actually, I was trying to get us to nap!), you pulled the sheet up over your head and then peered out and laughed. I realized you were initiating peek-a-boo! It was hilarious! You started sitting up last week, and it's clear you're very proud of yourself when you do it. You're not crawling yet, but you can definitely snake across the floor. I think we'll be baby-proofing the house very soon.
You continue to be fascinated with Sadie and Jackson. However, when they play a little too rough and bark too loudly, you start to cry. Daddy and I are working on quieting the dogs. When you're in the jumperoo, you love to hold out your hands so the dogs will tickle them with their licks.

You are still very social. You don't mind being passed from person to person...as long as Mommy is in sight. But you often leave your charm at the party. Maybe you get overtired? The 5-6 pm timeframe has become the bewitching hour. You tend to get really fussy and restless. Putting you in the bath solves that problem, but then you're ready for bed. And 6 pm might sound like a great bedtime, but 5 am is not the best wake up time.Mommy bought me some monkey pajamas because I like to use my feet to hold my toys.Look how long I am! I take up the whole chair!!

Over the last couple of weeks, you have been waking up again during the night. We think you may be teething. But we said that about three months ago, so what do we know?? However, you have just started pressing your lips together and sucking in...maybe creating sensation for the gums?

Some other firsts this month include your first virus (pink eye), your first 4th of July and display of fireworks, your first accident (falling off the bed!), your first father/son trip (across town), first visit to Dad's office where you stole some hearts, and your first bout of fake crying. (Video of this to come.)
We can't wait to get to know you more as you continue to grow and develop. You have the ability to make all our cares fall away, if only for a moment, and fill us with joy. Both sets of our parents have always said that we could never understand their love for us until we became parents ourselves. They have never been more right.

Happy 6 months, Samuel Carter Brown! We love, love, love you!!!!

Hugs and kisses,
Mommy


Mom, these photo sessions are exhausting.