- At your 6 months (+9 days) check-up, you weighed 18 lbs, 8 ounces, and were 26.5 inches long. You are in the 90th percentile for weight and height, and are growing right on track! You started crying as soon as the doctor began his exam, well-aware it was someone unfamiliar. (You smart girl, you.) Three more shots this time, but you calmed more quickly than ever afterwards. You are so brave, though it doesn't get any easier to watch you hurt.
- You are wearing primarily 6 month and 6-9 month clothes. You aren't far away at all from wearing the 9 month size entirely...though that sounds so very "big".
- You and Mommy shared a nasty cold a week or so before Christmas, which was unpleasant for everyone. Daddy did a great job taking care of us, and you were such a trooper. You had a very stuffy nose and needed to sleep on Mommy's chest for a couple of nights, but otherwise you just wanted to play and didn't act terribly miserable. It was hard to see you fighting that first bug, though...and I hope we don't have to go through that again for a long while.
- Speaking of your health, you've had a rash for the last month or so, which was disconcerting at first, but the doctor reassured us that it's just eczema. It doesn't seem to bother you, but the red patches of dry skin are all over your tummy. Poor babe.
- You've had your first fall. Mommy wasn't expecting you to move the way that you did, and off the couch you tumbled. It scared you, and was heartbreaking for me, but you were fine. Lesson learned. There will be many more falls ahead, I'm afraid, but that first one was a moment I'll never forget.
- You had your first taste of solid food on New Year's Day...your half-birthday! We started with rice cereal mixed with breastmilk, and you seemed so proud to be sitting in your highchair (a Christmas gift from your great-grandparents) and eating like the big people. You grabbed the spoon right away and helped to feed yourself. It was a hit...and there's so much more to come!
- A couple of days before you turned six months old, you woke up in the morning and I noticed a change. You just seemed like you'd grown-up somehow, and that day you were all smiles, and so happy. Truly, it was as if you'd suddenly figured some things out...that life made a bit more sense...and you could just enjoy living a bit more. It's difficult to explain, but to me, there was a distinct change in your disposition and contentedness that has been fascinating to see.
- You are definitely recognizing names. Hearing "Royal" brings a smile, and you turn your head to look for him. You know "Daddy", and respond to "where's Daddy?" "Feet" is another favorite, and you're beginning to recognize "Grandma" and "Grandpa", too.
- You love to talk, and are frequently practicing "puhh", "fff", and "mmm".
- You are sitting up very well these days, with no support. You become a little stronger each day, and now you're content sitting up for long stretches of time on your own. In fact, you prefer it, and don't tolerate being on your tummy for long anymore. You still haven't made much progress toward crawling, but you'll frequently lean forward too far from the sitting position, fall over, and end up in a crawling position. It's not too far away, I'd imagine!
We've known you for half of a year, sweet Emerson,
and these past six months have been the best of my life.
Our world is more beautiful because you're in it!
