6 Months

Gage Beckham,

Half a year. You've been here with us (outside of my belly) for half a year. It's almost a blur looking back, but it has been the most lifechaning, joyfilled 6 months of our life.

This month has been FUN.
You love to play!
Which is even more fun now that you can SIT UP!!! What a big boy you are.
You're pretty good at it too! We still have to be close by because you can fall sideways or backwards, but you get more balanced every day. Tonight I walked in our bedroom and sat you in the middle of our bed- I stood back and just looked at you in amazement. My little tiny baby all of a sudden a little man, sitting up like you were king of the bed. You just looked so big to me. It was one of those moments I think that will always be engraved in my mind.

You can entertain yourself for longer periods playing with your toys and tummy time isn't near as bad as it used to be for you! The other night you almost got into crawl position! Your daddy & I were holding our breath-- we didn't know what you were about to do!

EVERYTHING goes to your mouth.
And you can grab anything! It's so cute how you reach for things, sticking those little arms out as far as they will go. It melts my heart when you reach up for me, or when someone else is holding you and you reach for me.

You started sitting in your high chair this month. We put all your toys on it and it keeps you busy while I'm warming up your baby food or working in the kitchen. You love to BANG the toys around and throw things in the floor. You think it's funny when I say "UH OH" when you drop something.

Speaking of food, you are now eating squash, sweet potatoes, peas, green beans, carrots, and oatmeal cereal. We are about to try some yogurt, which is exciting! We tried some fruit and it definitely did not settle well with you afterwards, although you loved the taste of apples especially! We will try them again in a month or so.

This month we started letting you have sips of water.... especially Papa Keith, he just loves letting you get drinks. It's like you already knew how, you just grab that cup and pull it to your mouth and you CHUG! haha But seriously, you get so mad if we try to put it away. You love it! Especially really cold ice water... and so we've let you start having a sippy with a little in it every day. You may drench yourself with it, but you LOVE it. It's so cute to watch you try and tip it up and take a big drink.

You are quite a popular baby. You are getting friendly and flirty as well. At church you like to  see everyone and you will go to anyone- although when you see Momma or Daddy your face lights up. We love that.

You still remain stubborn on wanting to roll over. You can roll from side to side like it's nothing, and even onto your belly, but if we put you on your belly you refuse to roll! I know you can because you have before, so I am just going to keep working with you. I know you will on your own time.

Nighttime continues to be crazy, so crazy that I'm begging Daddy to just get us a king size bed and we'll move you in with us! When I finally get so exhausted and throw you in bed with us, you will sleep soundly until morning. You just decided you love being snuggled up next to us-- or push us off the bed, whatever you like to call it :) We usually end up scrunched on the edge halfway hanging off and you just chillin' in the middle like a king. That's ok, maybe if you keep doing that it'll convince Dad to buy us a king sized bed :) :) :)

Your little smile and giggles light up our life. Dad loves to come in and see you after work. He always brings the biggest smile to your face. If you're nursing and you hear him or Jack or the TV, you've started turning all the way over and staring at them, then you'll flip back around and get another drink, and you will just keep doing it. Flip, look, flip, drink.... It's so funny. You have quite the little personality.

It makes me sad to think the first half of your first year is over... kind of like the little baby stage is over and now we're moving onto big baby stuff like sitting up, crawling, and eventually walking. It's bittersweet, but I love seeing you learn and grow and take in your surroundings every day.

You light up our lives, Gage Man. I can't what to see what the next half year brings.

Love,
Momma