6 months

Dear Cooper,

Today you are six months old!

You’re little personality shows more and more each day, and if I had to use only one word to describe you right now, it would be sweet. You’re (almost!) always happy and smiley. You are definitely happiest in the mornings, always greeting me with that huge smile of yours and talking while I change you and get you dressed for the day.

You are still so observant. When you’re out in public, you’re so quiet! You sit and just look around at everything. When you meet someone new, or see some of mama and daddy’s friends, you look at them so intently, trying to figure them out. And after a few minutes, you will finally smile at them. You really make them work for that first smile!

Your newest obsession is paper. I was reading some ads in the newspaper the other day, while you were in my lap, and you became completely obsessed with the ad I was looking at! I had to give you another part of the paper to “play” with! And by play, I mean put in your mouth. EVERYTHING goes in your mouth these days. When we were at the doctor's office for your 6 month appointment, you noticed the paper on the table and played with it the entire time:

You also love cell phones. You always reach for our phones if we are looking at them.

You’re still working on sitting. At this point, you don’t really like laying on your back much. You do still like your playmat, but you only last a few minutes before rolling onto your belly. You really prefer to sit on someone’s lap (or sometimes on the couch with a pillow over your legs to ‘lean’ on) or “stand” in your jumperoo. You can sit for very short periods of time by yourself, VERY short, like 5ish seconds. A couple of times, you have caught yourself before falling over, so that’s a step!

When you see Isabelle or Zoe, you smile HUGE and hold your arms out and lunge for them! We are working on petting them. Mostly you just grab their hair and hold onto it, which they do tolerate pretty well. Your relationship with them is one I’m interested in seeing develop, I wonder what they will think of you once you are mobile!

The dogs’ isn’t the only hair you grab. Anyone with long hair will do! You love to touch faces and pull hair. Especially mine ;)

You are such a good eater! You have liked everything you’ve tried so far: peaches, apples, bananas, green beans, peas, squash, carrots. I think that’s it so far. We did give you some mashed potatoes on Thanksgiving, and you did not like them at all! After your morning nap, you get oatmeal and a fruit, and in the late afternoon, you get a veggie and rice. I think we’re going to have to add in a meal in the middle soon. You also take about 4 bottles a day. You don’t always finish your last bottle. You have recognized your bottle for a while now, but when you are really hungry, and you see us shake it up, you open your mouth so wide! You’re so cute :)

You’re taking 3 naps a day right now. One in the morning, around 8, a little catnap around 11, and then another one around 2. You sleep anywhere from 30 minutes to 2 hours. We still start your bedtime routine at 5:30, but a couple of times we have been able to push it to 6, so hopefully we can get you to stay up just a little later so we can hang out with you during the week! We have been swaddling you this month, because your dad had been holding your arms down to get you to sleep! You really like the swaddle, which is so weird because you never did before.

You have always loved attention and that has not changed at all. You love any interaction you get with us. You love being thrown into the air and being held upside down. You are so ticklish under your arms, and you laugh so loud when we blow on your stomach or your cheeks. I often sing songs to you, recently Christmas carols, and you love to be sung to (even with my really terrible voice) Your most recent thing is when your dad crunches ice. You stare at him for a minute and then let out a big giggle when he does that. I have no idea why, but it is hilarious to watch you! You even love it when we just talk to you. You listen to what we say and then just give us a big grin! You still love to be read to. You have started touching some of the books that have things for you to feel on them, and you’re very interested in them. You also, of course, love to try and get the book into your mouth :) You are such a joy to us every day, Cooper!

Love love love,
Mama