Feb 7 - 6 Months

Baby AJ, you are now closer to a year than a newborn.  It is hard to believe how quickly these last six months have flown by and I just know the next several are going to go just as fast.  Can we invent a machine to slow down time?  Actually, I am also excited to see how you will grow up and mature, so I guess I don't want that machine after all.

Likes:  Your mama... you prefer me to just about everyone else.  It is nice, but stressful when I have to go to work.  It has gotten better when Papa takes care of you or when Oma and Grandpa watch you, but you still calm down best with your mama. 

Biggest Achievement this month: Being half a year old! 

Half a cake for half a year old!

Really, this month you seem to be working on perfecting the things you already do.  You are rolling better, sitting a little better and improving on getting things to your mouth.  You really like to hold your bottle now, but still have problems keeping it at the right angle to be able to eat.

Biggest Challenge of the month: As I said above, calming down with anyone other than your mama... getting better, but it is still a challenge.

Talking/Communication:  I finally recorded a little of you talking to your toys on the jumper.  You also enjoy talking to the cats and dog when they come near by.  You have also started squealing like a deflating balloon... like when you pull apart the opening to make a squeak come out. 

Eating: Still about the same.  We have only given you food a handful of times.  I am looking forward this month to trying some food that you can feed yourself rather than just the pureed stuff.  At this point, you have had apples, banana and avocado.


Favorite Baby Gear:  You are still enjoying Sofie the giraffe.  She goes with you most places.  Her legs are your favorite and you prefer chewing on her feet.

You have also started playing with a monkey that your cousin picked out for Christmas.  I will often come into the bedroom once you have woken up from a nap to find you playing with this or another toy near by in your crib.

Memories in the last month: 

 We finally took a walk.  The first for far too long.  Despite being extremely tired, you were awake and looking around for the first twenty minutes or so.  Then you zonked out for the rest.  Samson was especially excited to actually be taken on a walk.

Your older siblings came over to play.  This allowed me to get errands done with Mama J... the most important of which was getting your birth certificate.  It still has your birth parents names on it but that will change once the adoption is finalized.  I appreciate having a copy or two of your original one as well though.  Then a few days later Oma, myself, Mama J and all three of your older siblings got together to celebrate you turning six months old.  Well, that wasn't the actual reason.  It was more so that we could all hang out and let the kids play at the same time.  We spent a few hours at the playland at the fry store.  Your Oma and Mama J tried to convince me to let you try a fry... I didn't give in.  You will have plenty of times in the years to come to enjoy those!

I love this picture because it shows how funny your hair is once we take your piggy-tails out!