Say Anything: One Half Year.

Dearest Elise,

How quickly the past 6 months have gone.

You've gone from my tiny little dark haired bundle of newborness to the sweetest, funniest, smiling-est big blue-eyed 6-month-old ever to grace this planet. Over the past few months, you've evolved into a super mellow baby-- pretty much content with whatever comes your way... with the caveat that someone (gradually narrowing down to me) is holding you, talking to you, or interacting with you in some way. You love people, and attention. But once that need is met, pretty much anything goes. You can absolutely light up a room with your giant smile and infectious giggle. Everyone agrees that there aren't many babies your age that smile and laugh as much as you. It melts my heart, and you obviously know it. Other teachers at daycare stop by the infant room during their lunch on bad days just so your smile can cheer them up. You smile and flirt like crazy with anyone you meet, then adorably burrow your head into my chest like you're pretending to be shy.

It is for these moments I wish I had some sort of cosmic pause button, some way to bottle you up just the way you are this instant in time, so that when you continue this crazy fast growing up, I could go back to that snuggle, those tiny little fists, that inexplicably wonderful baby smell, just for a moment.

At 6 months, you can't quite sit up by yourself although you're not too far from it. You can roll over with ease and spin around on your tummy to face the object of your affection (usually your sister). You can cover ground with some form of transportation I have yet to figure out-- I never see it in action but often I find you several feet from where I left you. You coo, "growl", babble, and laugh. I'm convinced you once said "Mama, Bye", but only Elle believes me on that one.

I'm proud of the fact that for 6 months the only thing that went into your mouth (except that yummy Prevacid) has been breastmilk. I'd like to attribute that to the fact that you avoided sickness until your half-birthday, when you got a little cold. We still celebrated though (you'll soon find out that your mom will find any reason to celebrate)-- with your first taste of rice cereal. You were rather indifferent to it, but you've since given rave reviews to oatmeal and squash. Incidentally, your sister was a big squash fan too. And your Nana tells the story that Mommy turned yellow from all the squash she ate when she was a baby. So you upheld the tradition.

Your 6 month stats put you right at the 50% for height and weight-- just perfect. You cried for 2.3 seconds after your shots, then just snuggled in my arms and started smiling again. How I cherish these days when I can magically make everything better.

Your temperament is the exact opposite of your big sister's-- she has always been the high maintenance, high needs, high-strung type while you are much more mellow and content. But apparently all that daytime frenzy tired her out because from about 12 weeks on, Elle would predictably sleep 12 hours at night. You haven't quite mastered the full-night's-sleep thing, although we are slowly improving. The past few weeks you usually sleep from 7-7:30 until 4ish, then eat and go back to sleep until I wake you up for school. Not bad at all, but I'd love to get you out of that 4am snack habit. It's a work in progress.

Some of your favorite things:

Me. I know it's short-lived, so I'll enjoy every second of it while I can.

Your big sister. She can make you laugh like no one else, even if she does consistently decide that whatever toy you are playing with is her long-lost favorite. You are incredibly tolerant of this.

Baths.

Your teachers at daycare. Your face lights up when you see them in the morning. This definitely makes it easier for me to leave you, although I always linger just a bit too long saying goodbye to you.

Your family. Daddy, Nanny, Sandy, Nana, Grampa, Mimi, Stephanie are smitten with you and it's obvious you like it that way.

Being lifted in the air like you're flying.

Books. Often there is more entertainment value in eating the pages than the plot, but you love being read to. I'm hoping you keep this love for reading (and roughage) like your sister.