Letter to Charlotte: Month six

Dear Charlotte,

You’re half a year old today!  Insane!  Where has the time gone?  You’ll come to realize soon enough about my love for everything related to birthdays, including half birthdays; when it comes to living another year, or half year as the case may be, I believe in celebrating.  So, let’s party, little lady, maybe stay up until 7:30pm?  Maybe try a little rice cereal?  Perhaps get really cooky and sleep in your clothes?  The possibilities are endless. 

You've had a big month in more ways than one.  You're well down the road to mobility and are a roly poly girl, now rolling from your back to your stomach, back again, and then all across any flat surface.  It’s adorable to see you rolling along and you are SO happy with yourself when you finally reach your destination, usually only to roll back to where you started.  In the rare instances that you stay on your back for more than a few minutes, you quickly find your tootsies so that you can chew on those cute little piggies. 

You've also started to grasp and grab toys and can fairly well entertain yourself on an activity mat or blanket.  You love to look at yourself in the mirror and bat at Mr. Snail, just like your sister, but you also have a few new toys that are all your own.  Well, until Anna realizes you’re playing with them.  She means well, and does her best to share and ensure you are entertained, but she also likes to make sure she knows exactly what you’re playing with at any given time, by inspecting and observing the toys herself.  Your favorite toys include a ball from your Gigi that’s just perfect for little fingers, your chewies, and your paci.  You’ll occasionally find your thumb, but you’re turning into more of a paci girl, using it traditionally about half the time, and using it as a teether the other half; you clearly like to think outside the box. 

We brought out the high chair a couple of weeks ago so that you could “join us” at the dinner table and you love the new view of your world.  Your little head barely clears the tray and your feet get lost somewhere below, but you love to sit and “play” with your toys and smile at your sister across the table while we eat.  It won’t be long until you’re starting to enjoy some fine cereal of your own; we’re just waiting (selfishly) until we’re home from vacation.  You’re still a champion nurser and although I’m not producing quite enough to fill your bottles each day, we’re still working through my frozen stash and you've yet to have anything other than breastmilk.  The days you’re home we nurse exclusively, and I've gotten pretty creative with managing to get work done during my mid-day pumping sessions. 

You made it to your sixth state this month and to the beach for the first time.  As expected, you were an excellent traveller, had no issues sleeping in many new places, and loved putting your feet in the sand and ocean.   You were able to enjoy an entire week with your Grandma and Pap Pap, and although I know you love their snuggles, you were also pretty excited about an uninterrupted week with your sister.  You rarely fussed when we were out and about, endured four legs of road travel with a very limited view of a monkey mirror and what you could catch of your sister out of the corner of your eye.  On the second to last leg, you did express your disdain via a blowout at a Cracker Barrel in Maryland, but after a change and some attention from the sweet old ladies in the restroom, you were back at it with big smiles and giggles. 

You’re a great eater, great sleeper and are overall one of the happiest babies I’ve ever met.  It’s not until we’re around a baby that’s not quite as happy as you that I realize what a sweet soul you are and how much joy you bring to each interaction.  You rarely fuss, and when you do, you’re usually hungry, tired, or just need a quick change of scenery.  You nurse to sleep at night, but more often than not are awake when we lay you down, happy to lie there and lull yourself to sleep.  It’s a bit of guessing game as to when you wake up in the mornings or from a nap because you never cry, rather you are content to kick your legs and coo to yourself.  And, nothing is cuter than burping you with your Dad or Anna across the room and watching your head turn as fast as possible after hearing your name being called; the excitement on your face is priceless. 

I’ll be honest when I say that having two young girls could make a person crazy.  There are times when I see other families out to eat or at church with older children who are a bit more self-sufficient, and I start to fantasize about a day when you’ll be potty-trained, able to feed yourself, or have just a tiny bit more independence about you.  But then I remember just how quickly time is fleeting.  I’m amazed at how much you seem to be growing each day, how much less like a baby you seem, and sadness pours over me.  I cannot express in words or pictures just how pleasant, happy, and content you are almost every minute of every day.  You can’t help but smile in your presence, and I do just that – you have a true gift that you give to the world.  I love to touch your tiny hands, your tiny toes, feel your chubby little arms and legs, and see that big, slobbery, toothless smile stare back at me; there’s nothing better in the whole wide world.  And, during those minutes I wish I could freeze time because I’m so happy.  Thank you for making my world a better place, one smile at a time.  

Love, 

Mom