6 months of Sam

Sam turned 6 months old on October 17th.  I can't believe how fast time is flying by.  He is growing by leaps and bounds...and hitting so many milestones...it makes me so proud, but also so sentimental...I've been through this before:  the excitement for them to grow up -- but at the same time wanting them to stay as babies forever....you can't have the best of both worlds, my friend....

It has been awhile since I shared one of my monthly letters on my blog.  The last one I shared was one Sam was one month old.  I figured, with six months being a pretty monumental age, I'd share this one with my Internet friends...

Dear Sam,

You amaze me daily with your quick smiles, belly laughs, giggles, groans and silly noises.  You are growing in leaps and bounds, and although it makes me proud as your mama to know that I have helped nurture and support this growth, it also makes me sad because I wish I could keep you as my little baby forever.  I know that isn't possible, and that you must grow up -- so I hope that I can teach you to be a kindhearted, honest and good natured little man...

Just over the past few weeks you have decided that sitting is pretty cool.  You aren't incredibly steady sitting upright, but you WANT to be sitting like nothing else.  So, we work on stabilizing you more and more every day, and you work up your time limit a few minutes more every day...

Your 'vocabulary' is getting more and more extensive and every day I am hearing new syllables and sounds and combinations come out of your mouth.  They start out very softly -- as you test the new sounds on your lips -- and then once you hear yourself make these new noises, they grow in an accelerated crescendo until we are forced to turn and look at you and smile along with the big goofy grin you've got pasted across your face.  You are also becoming a big fan of raspberries and making spitty noises with your lips.  It is humorous when you are doing it with just spit, but mommy is getting sick of getting covered in food when you decide to do it right after a spoonful of food enters your mouth....

Speaking of food, my little boy -- you are quite the fan!  I am amazed at not only the selection of foods that you have gobbled down without a second thought, but also the amount of food you insist on eating at every meal!  So far, you have eaten (and enjoyed):  bananas, avocado, applesauce, zucchini, green beans, oatmeal cereal, rice cereal, and sweet potatoes.  We tried finger foods with you tonight and you ate them like you had been doing it all your life -- amazing me with your motor skills at such a young age!  You are also quickly grasping the concept of your sippy cup -- tonight you drank 1 oz out of it during dinner time.  It's no wonder that your little thighs are full of baby chunk that I love to squeeze!!!

Your are constantly rolling yourself from your back onto your belly -- and then grumbling and tummy surfing until someone comes to rescue you.  We're not quite sure what happened here -- since you had been rolling from your belly to your back since you were very little -- but it appears that you have forgotten how to roll that way now.  Either that, or you are lazy and just want us to do it for you!  :)  Your stomach has also become your preferred way to sleep and you usually roll right onto your belly as soon as we lay you down.

Speaking of sleep, you are still, for the most part, a very good sleeper.  You are still waking up once during the night -- and although we are going to break you of this habit pretty soon, I have to remind myself that lil Max was doing something similar at this age -- and we consider(ed) him a phenomenal sleeper (still do, for the most part).  You consistently sleep 11-12 hours at night and then usually take 2-3 naps which total around 3-4 hours during the day.  Someday I'll figure out how to consistently get your afternoon nap to coincide with your older brother's so that I can enjoy some mom time in the afternoon, but for now I enjoy it as mom and Sam time...

Sam, I could go on and on about how perfect you are -- but why beat a dead horse?  You are perfect to us because you are ours -- and we love you -- probably more than you will ever know.  I love stealing middle of the night snuggles with you while we are both groggy and sweaty and covered in moonlight.  I love the way that you nestle up to me and how you still have that sweet baby smell in your hair.  I love that you are obsessed with eating your feet and hands -- that you are figuring out that your feet and hands can make noises, can throw things, can pound things to make noise, can splash in the bathtub...I love watching the joy on your face when you realize that it was something YOU did that made that toy light up or play a song.   I love how your smile lights up your face -- starting in your eyes before it makes it to your lips.  I love that you are starting to protest when I leave the room (although I probably won't love this next month...).  I love your chubby little thighs and I love your chubby little neck -- both are perfect spots to tickle you on and make you squeal. 

I love you Sam -- always and forever.

Love, Mom