Month Six

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Originally uploaded by briannedrlich.

Dear Abe,

I really cannot believe that you have been alive for six months. In my head, a six month old baby is a very old baby. When I would see a baby on TV, I would think, “That baby is six months.” Now, you are a six month old TV baby!

Everyday you change, and everyday you gain about a pound. I suppose that would mean that you should weigh 147 pounds. Sometimes I feel like you weigh that much. My arms are sore from carrying you around and lifting you high above my head. I can’t resist throwing you up in the air, because you laugh so hard when I do it, and there is no better sound in the world than your laugh.

This week we introduced sweet potatoes to your diet. (No, I did not make the food myself. What kind of mom do you think I am!?) I don’t even like sweet potatoes, but I heard that you should feed babies vegetables before fruits, so they won’t like fruits better and never eat vegetables. And I’ll be damned if my kid won’t eat his vegetables! After the first taste you made the funniest face of disgust I have ever seen! After your Daddy and I stopped laughing, we gave you another spoonful and you actually gagged. GAGGED. Like I did for six weeks when I was pregnant with you. It was totally hilarious. (Don’t think I am a bad Mama for laughing, because you would laugh too). The happy ending is that you love sweet potatoes now, and you bang your hand on the high chair tray demanding that they be put into your mouth every two seconds. Like Daddy said, “Oh yeah, it’s a BIG surprise that he loves food.”

You have finally started into a routine, and you go to bed and wake up around the same time every night. And, let me tell you, it totally rocks my world. I actually can sit down and read a magazine! Your favorite part of the routine is taking a bath. Even if you are in the worst mood, as soon as I bring you into the bathroom you start doing your happy shrieks, and kicking your little legs. It is like going to Disneyworld for you. And, you have gotten mighty adventurous in the bath. You kick and splash and water goes everywhere, and you laugh and scream. You also like to sit up, and turn around really fast, trying to escape my hold on you. That is naughty, and one of these days I am not going to have a good grip on your slippery little meathook and you will slip into the water. But, last night you decided to just dunk your face in the water before I could stop you. You made some blowing sounds and lifted it back out, rubbing the water out of your eyes. You are a little crazy man.

You have started doing “jumpies” in your little car, and you think it is hilarious when I jump first. You laugh at me a lot – I am not sure if that is a good thing or a bad thing. It’s like, already think I am such a dork. Your Daddy, though, can make you laugh SO HARD! He knows your sweet spots and gets you every time. If little babies could cry from laughing so hard, you totally would. We can’t really tell if it makes you pee your pants, because well, you do that all the time.

This month we finally got you Baptized. We were a little slow getting that to happen, and I am sure there was a collective sigh of relief that we managed to keep you alive for six months, so you didn’t go to hell. Everything was very beautiful, and so many people came to celebrate. You are already so loved, and it makes me feel so good. Don’t forget those people when you are older. We will teach you to give them kisses and hugs, and not make a face after you do so. Your Grandma Patsy made all kinds of food – when you get older she will make all of your favorite foods for you. I have a feeling you will like pork chops and pierogies like your Daddy.

During the party you clapped for the first time! This definitely proves that you like to show off in front of a crowd. It was so exciting and I felt the need to tell everyone. Didn’t they realize that this meant you were so advanced? Don’t they think that you are the smartest baby that ever lived? I guess no one else documents your achievements and catalogs every sound that comes out of your mouth as closely as me (well, maybe Grandma Jillsy, too). I am so proud of you and I am in such awe of you, it is a little scary.

I looked at you the other day and couldn’t believe how much you have grown. It is so exciting and terrifying at the same time. I am already mourning the time when you were a tiny baby and you needed me for everything. You are such an independent person already, and I know that as every year goes by you will let me hold you a little less, and not let me kiss you whenever I please. That just breaks my heart, but I know that it is just the way life goes.

Last night, you woke up at 3 a.m. crying because your tummy hurt, and I scooped you up out of your crib and rocked you to sleep. You held onto me so tight, and snuggled right into my neck. I didn’t want to let you go.

I want you to know that I never will.

Love,

Mama