you melt me into puddles

:: six months old ::

Sweet, sweet boy. Today is your six month birthday. To think that it’s been half a year since you were born causes such a stir in my emotions. In a sense I feel like we’ve just been given you. And yet at the same time I feel like you’ve always been ours.

You’re such a gorgeous boy. Everyone that meets you, loves you. Everyone. You are so good-tempered, so sociable, and of course such a good looking baby. {grin} You easily go to anyone that would like to hold you (which is a good thing considering you have so many adoring fans), but it’s also very evident now that you know momma and daddy.

When we are in a crowd of people and you’re being held by someone else, you happily go on… and yet you do search out mama and make eye contact with me. It’s as if you’re just keeping tabs on me, making sure that I’m still there if you need me.

We are amazed at how much you’ve changed this month. You now roll from your back to your tummy as if it’s second nature (whereas you could do it before but it always appeared to be a major effort). You can sit up for long periods when you want to… though now that you’re on the go you usually don’t last long before you’re down on your tummy so that you can move. Speaking of moving… you’ve definitely mastered the “army crawl”. All though you’ve been scooting a little bit for the last couple of weeks, just this week you’ve gotten proficient and fast!

You’re also up on all fours a lot, rocking back and forth. Last week when you’d do that you’d get so frustrated because once you were up you didn’t know what to do next! But now… now you are up and down, up and down, back to army crawling and repeat. You are going to be all over the place within a week or two, no doubt.

Naptimes have gotten a lot easier, which is a thing to rejoice over in this house! You are sleeping two naps now – one in the morning and one in the afternoon – for anywhere from 1.5 hours to 2.5 hours. It’s so nice and you wake up so happy!

We’ve not had that little tooth reappear since you were four months, but can definitely see them under the surface of your gums. We’re ready for them to pop through any day.

You also really enjoy “standing” these days. Whether it’s holding onto the couch (with us “spotting” you from behind) or standing with your hands being held… you love it. We also just got you an exersaucer, which you adore. Of course there’s lots of toys attached to it to keep you entertained, but I think your favourite part is just being able to “stand up” by yourself. You stand, move in circles, jump up and down. It’s pretty hilarious and (of course) so cute.

Another new thing in the life of Levi is that you’re eating “big boy food” now! We started you on solids about two weeks ago and you’re loving that too. So far you’re eating rice cereal and avocado… but we’ll be adding to your menu soon. Wanna try some carrots?

At your doctors appointment today you got your six month “jabs.” (Sorry son, I know it’s not the most fun way to spend your half-birthday, but you did great – only cried for a few short minutes.) You weighed in at 16.5 pounds and were just over 27 inches tall. Good, healthy growing boy.

And lastly, my favourite milestone from this last month: You said your first word… and it was MAMA! Oh little angle, you have no idea how this made me feel. I thought my heart would burst into a thousand pieces and melt into puddles on the floor around me. It was just so, so precious. You first (recognizably) said it on Saturday night; you were a week off from turning six months… such a clever little boy.

Of course I should also say that you’re vocabulary is getting bigger and bigger, though this is the only word we’ve seen you say intentionally so far. When you really get talking you sound so serious and get this frowny look on your face and brows as if you’re giving an important dissertation or issuing some crucial instructions. Someday you’ll watch our videos and just laugh.

As always, dear gorgeous boy, we love you so much. There’s not a day that goes by that we don’t look at you in wonder and admiration. You are so precious to us and we are so, so, so glad to be called your parents.

love you monkey,

your gushing mama xx 

these are a few of my favorite things

These are some of my favorite things about you at your age right now, five-and-a-half months old:

1.            Pulling off for a moment while nursing just to look up at me and smile before continuing on with business as usual.
{OhMeltMyHeart.}

2.            Being able to toss baby in the air during playtime.
{WeeeItsSuperbaby!}

3.            Helping momma by putting his legs up in the air and lifting his bum while getting a diaper change.
{SoFreakingCute.}

4.            Toes in the mouth!
{EnoughSaid.}

5.            When being held by someone else in a crowded room… turning his head to make eye contact with me when he hears my voice.
{NewMommyGushing.}

6.            Uncontrollable baby giggles when I say anything with an excited expression and raised eyebrows.
{WhyHelloTherePoopyPants!}

7.            That look of wonder and awe when he watches mommy and daddy eating “big boy food.”
{PleaseLetMeHaveSomeNowMomma!}

8.            The “drunken sailor wobbling hula” when he practices standing up while holding onto my hands.
{DontGainYourBalanceTooQuicklyCauseMommasLovingThis.}

9.            Thirty-second 360’s on his tummy.
{WhenTheHeckDidYouGetSoFast?!}

10.        Screams of delight when being mildly (deliberately) startled.
{WhoKnewPeekabooCouldBeSoHilarious?}

11.        The frustrated arm-waiving when throwing a fit.
{FunnyExceptForThoseTimesWhenMommyIsSuperTiredAndOverIt.}

12.        Having his arms stretched out to me when he wants to be picked up.
{IsItWrongThatISometimesPutHimDownJustSoHeCanDoItAgain?}

13.        Head resting on my shoulder and super sweet cuddles when he first wakes up from naptime.
{GetsMeEveryTime.}

14.        The skin… oh, the skin.
{ICantStopTouchingYourChubbyLittleThighs.}

15.        That little baby sigh of relief and pleasure that comes about thirty seconds after nursing has begun.
{TooCuteForYourOwnGood.}

16.        The after-bath hair styles.
{ThankYouDaddy.}

17.        That priceless look of “I-just-accomplished-an-incredible-trick-did-you-see-that?” while making splashes in the bath and saturating daddy.
{YesSweetPeaMommysProudOfYou.}

18.        Being able to sing baby to sleep in five minutes tops if he’s crying in the car due to over-tiredness.
{IKnewIShouldHaveBeenARecordingArtist...ButWhyDoesntThisWorkAtBedtime?}

19.        You know those sneezes that start and then stop mid-sneeze? Baby’s getting those.
{LittleManIsSoFunny.}

20.          When babe sticks his thumb in his mouth while nursing... thinking more is better?
{YouKnowThatIKnowYoureDoneEatingWhenYouDoThatRightSon?}

21.          The paci is no longer for sucking and calming but for chewing and playing.
{SoothieTurnedTeether2For1Deal.}

22.           Those precious moments while nursing that babe reaches up to touch my face or to stroke my chest.

         {PleaseBurnTheseIntoMyMemoryForever.}