Charlotte: 6 months

With Daddy tonight at the park

How did my baby get to be 6 months? Half a year?  She is so big and grown-up.  Over the past month she's been doing so many new things.  She definitely thinks she is a real person now- she wants to sit with us at every meal, and wants to eat when we're eating.  So now she sits in a high chair or booster at meal time and gets something to eat.  She also recognizes that other small people might be her friend- she smiles at other babies, and sits and plays with other babies. She is absolutely a social creature!

Height and Weight:  We had Charlotte's six-month well visit today, and she is 19 lbs, 8 oz (93rd percentile) and 26.25 inches tall (60-something percentile).  I asked if there was any concern that her weight percentile is higher than her height percentile, and the doctor said no, that as a breast-fed baby there are no worries.

Clothing size: Charlotte is in 6-12 months clothes from Gap and Old Navy, and 9 months clothes from Carter's.

On all fours

Milestones: Charlotte sits independently, picks up and plays with toys, bangs things to make noise, and is starting to crawl.  She moves around, but not in a coordinated fashion.  It's no problem for her to get up on all 4's.  I think she might have transitioned from lying down to sitting today (she often goes from sitting to her belly), because I left her in the living room on her stomach and when I came back she was sitting up.

Charlotte has started eating some food.  She doesn't like to be fed- every time I try to spoon feed her, she grabs at the spoon and my hand to try to control the process.  I mostly give her finger food, which she happily feeds herself, or fruit in a mesh bag for her to suck on.  She's had oatmeal (my oatmeal ground finely, not baby oatmeal), carrots, broccoli, avocado, watermelon, mango, strawberry, apple, banana, asparagus, pancake, pretzel, and I can't remember what else.  She seems to like all of it.

She's also taking baths by herself in the big tub, sitting up.  She likes to play in the water, splash, and suck on the wash cloth (yuck).  She is happy in the tub and then cranky when I pull her out to get ready for bed.

Eating a strawberry

Outings and Adventures: Charlotte went cross-country on a plane! We had a great time in California, and she managed the change in time zones relatively well.

We went strawberry picking over Memorial Day, Charlotte had her first swim in a pool, and we went to the zoo earlier this week, where she noticed the animals there for the first time!  She was also able to interact with a couple of exhibits in the Kids Zoo.

In the Kids Zoo, riding a sheep

Routine/Schedule: Our schedule is very similar.  She likes to go to bed around 7:30 at night, and she gets a bath every night.  I just love the smell and feel of a clean baby.  She nurses and then goes to sleep.  She sleeps on her stomach, and likes to bury her face in things- she sleeps with her black and white kitty cat and sticks her face in it to go to sleep.  She usually then pushes it off and uses the tail or legs to soothe herself.

She's waking about once a night to nurse, and then wakes up around 7 or so in the morning.  She's still pooping herself awake most mornings.  At least she's consistent!

She does like to nap in the morning and if we're home or don't have plans, I will put her down to let her sleep.  Unfortunately, the boys have been with me everyday for the past 2 weeks, so she's gotten dragged around on our outings. She is usually pretty good-tempered about it and then naps in the afternoon.  She's totally over napping in the car seat and only sleeps in the Ergo when she is truly exhausted. I know how I was with the boys- always home for naps and never messing with our schedule- and I feel bad that she hasn't gotten the same pampering, but she seems to tolerate it all pretty well.  Even with a good morning nap, if we're home, she'll take another nap in the afternoon.  She's sleeping well for naps in her crib.

She nurses about 7-8 times a day, I think, and sits with us at the table for meals.  Her nursing isn't on a schedule other than her bedtime feeding.

Favorite food: I would say it's still breast milk, but she seems to like all food.  She wants to try whatever is in my hand, including turkey sandwiches and peanut butter and jelly sandwiches (which she didn't get).

Favorite person: I think it's me.  She will reach for me when other people hold her.  She doesn't have any real stranger anxiety, but she prefers to be in the company of others and will cry if she's left alone in a room.

Love from her brothers

Charlotte's still a happy, smiley girl.  Her brothers love her, and she seems to like them, too.  I still can't get over how quickly time is passing.  It's all so bittersweet, taking such pride in her development and growth, and feeling sad that I won't get to do this again.  She makes it all so easy, with her easy-going temperament, ready smile, and delicious legs!