6 month old baby girl
Dear Elyse,
You are half a year old! It seems like time is moving much faster now that you developing new skills quickly and I only see you a limited amount of time due to work. You love your teacher at daycare and I feel good about dropping you off every day. When I take you out of your car seat you have the biggest smile.
Fast asleep after a walk with Papa Dale, me, and the dogs.
It amazes me how many people love to see you and make an effort. All of your grandparents visit every 1-2 weeks, which is way more than I saw mine growing up. Justin, Caleb, Gina, and Karissa have helped out a lot by picking you up from daycare and watching you until I get home from work while your dad works a crazy schedule. This past month he went to California indefinitely for a major storm, but ended up being down there for a week. I’m thankful it wasn’t longer.
We spent our first night “away” from you. Aunt Clare gave us tickets to the Blake Shelton concert and we didn’t get home until after midnight. You slept with Grandma Toni the whole night and did pretty well. She fed you once in the night. Knowing that you don’t fully need me throughout the night is kind of sad, but it is also good to know what you are capable of.
Your Grandma Toni and Cousin Ruby adore you. This is one of the last cloth diapers you worse, so you have a big booty!
We tried “cry-it-out” and you cried for an hour and a half straight. Your dad and I were supposed to tough it out together, but he was at work, so I turned the monitor on low and kept busy. He came home right when I was going to call it quits and rocked you to sleep. Our new strategy is to add space between nursing and sleeping. So the routine now is: nurse, bath, lotion massage, pajamas and sleep sack, books, and rub your back until you fall asleep. The first week of this has gone pretty well – better than I expected.
Daycare doesn’t do cloth diapers and you don’t go through enough on the weekends to make it worth the extra effort anymore. I’m bummed because we are contributing so much more waste to the landfills now, but I feel it’s the best option for us. At least we did 5 months!
The bad news is you got your first ear infection. Lots of people noticed you would grab your ear, but you didn’t seem to be in pain. I took you to the pediatrician and you are taking antibiotics for 10 days. You also have a neck rash from drooling so much! We have cream for that too. It seems like you will sprout teeth any day now.
You can sit totally on your own now and don’t like laying on your back as much. You love to bounce in your Jumperoo or play in the exersaucer with your feet on the ground.
One of your first times sitting up. You tipped over shortly after this photo.
You babble a ton, “la-la-ha-da-da” and your dad is just waiting for you to clearly say “dada”. It’s coming soon!
Another fun thing you do is eat real food. I didn’t realize how much fun it would be to feed you for the first time! Your dad blended avocado with water and you loved it. Your hands would shake as you reached out for more. It was definitely messy, but so cute! After 5 days of avocado, we tried sweet potato, which you didn’t seem to like quite as much, but were still excited to eat. Daycare feeds you solids twice a day too.
Yum! Avocado.
You have a friend James at daycare who is a day younger than you. Lately, you have spent a lot of time with your cousin Zerick. At first you two were indifferent towards each other, but now that you are more active you like playing by each other or reaching out.
Bath time with Cousin Zerick. The only time you aren’t in your baby tub is with him so far.
Oh how much joy you bring to our lives. I wish I saw you more, love. I drop you off at daycare at 7am, your dad or some family member picks you up by 5pm, and I get home by 6:30. We start the bedtime routine by 7:30. It’s hard, but I hope you feel loved and understand your dad and I work/are away from home to give you the best life.
Love,
Your mom
