Seeking Authenticity: Dear Vivian- 6 Months

Dear Vivian,

You are 6 (nearly 7!) months old and I wanted to write a little something to record this time in your life so maybe one day we can look back together.

You are sitting up on your own and very good at bending all the way forward to grab a toy and pulling yourself back up into the sitting position. You also roll all over the floor and I often find you a good few feet from here I left you before stepping into the kitchen! You're finally coming out of the "I want to scream all the time even if nothing is bothering me simply because I love to hear my own shrills and watch mommy squirm" phase, and now only scream when your excited. You also pant like a puppy when your excited and wave your arms around.

When you want to be picked up you extend your arms and open and close your sweet little hands. Hands that love to pull my hair out of it's bun and pull on my collar bone and scratch my arm (ouch!) while nursing. You're still a great nurser but starting to get distracted so we have to be in a calm environment if I want you to finish eating. You nurse every 2-4 hours and show no signs of stopping which makes me hopeful that we'll reach our first goal of 1 year of breastfeeding!

You love your daddy, I'm starting to think that you know what time he's supposed to come home because if he's running late you start looking all over the house. You and dad like to listen to (very!) loud music and sometimes you even fall asleep! I think that you're going to be a drummer like him, too.

Sometimes you come to the Crossfit gym with me and your dad. You sit in your infant carseat with your pacifier and some toys. You're such a happy baby and everyone who meets you always says how well behaved you are.

You still sleep in our bed and as much as I absolutely love having you close we've been taking steps to get you out of our bed and into your own so we can all get a better nights sleep. You're currently waking up anywhere from 4 to 6 times a night. I'm going to remember you waking me up at all hours of the night and early morning when I'm pulling you out of bed for school.. and I will smile. We started putting you down for naps still awake in your pack and play in our room and your napping like a rockstar (probably because you dont sleep at night?)!

While you nap I catch up on dishes or laundry, but sometimes I just sit on the couch and watch the baby monitor and wait for you to wake up so I can walk in and say "good morning!" (even though it's not the morning) and "did you sleep good?!" (even though I know you did because you're all smiles).

Our typical day goes a little like this...

8:30/9am- wake up and lay in bed cuddling until you start getting

crazy then we get up and change your diaper. Then I try to eat breakfast with you on my lap and usually end up getting oatmeal on the couch.

10:30/11am- you start showing signs of your sleepless night and I put you down

for your first nap of the day.

12/12:30pm- I sit you down on a blanket in the living room and we play with your toys, while I try to eat lunch without you pulling it from my hands/off my plate.

1pm- I put you in your high chair and try to get you to feed yourself squash or avocado. You're happy and definitely enjoying yourself.. but eating? You're not having it. Then you get a bath because the food always ends up in your hair, and on the floor.

2:30/3pm- nap #2

4pm- We play some more and then get dressed to go for a walk. We usually go down to the neighborhood park and swing for a bit then do a loop around the neighborhood and look at all the holiday decorations and flowers.

5:30pm- You play on the living room floor while I start to prep dinner, peaking in at every little noise you make.

6pm- Sometimes you nap here... sometimes you just like to sing (shriek) in your highchair while I finish up dinner.

7:30pm- Your dad comes home and we always walk over to him in the doorway and say hello

8:30-10pm- The rest of the evening is spent passing you back and forth while we finish dinner and watch some TV. We play a little more and then you get your night time diaper and jammies. I walk you around the living room with your pacifier and usually you fall asleep in my arms.