To My Sweet 6 Month Old Baby Girl

Smiley Sadie,

This month you are go-go-go.

One morning you woke up and you decided "I think I'll sit up today," and then you were just sitting.  You are pretty darn steady too, you've hardly ever fallen over, and even when you do you have never cried.  Your favorite thing to do is to sit in front of a pile of toys and pick each one up, cover it with slobbers, and then put it down.  You look like such a big girl sitting up, I had a few moments where I panicked that you are growing up too fast.  I have to keep reminding myself that you are getting more and more fun the older you get, and that it is okay, great even, that you are learning new "big girl" things.

You love to be on your hands and knees now.  You do something we call "rocky-rocky" where you rock back and forth from your head to your bum.  I laugh at this because I spent a lot of time at college studying the fundamentals of movement, and how babies all start moving, and you are taking the exact steps in movement I learned, and you are fantastic at them.  It is so cute because I think you can even understand me, because you will be on your hands and knees just looking at me and I'll say "Hey Sweetie, could you show me your rocky-rocky?" and you just take off, rocking away, only to stop and look up at me and smile as if to say "Hey Mom, look, I'm doing it!"  You also love to get your feet up underneath you and do something that looks a lot like the yoga pose "downward dog."  You can get up and down from that, but you can't figure out how to move your arms too.  I can tell that you are so incredibly close to crawling.  I'm waiting for that morning that you just wake up and decide to do it, and then there will be no stopping you, you will be crawling everywhere.

You are a determined little girl.  If you want something, you will figure out a way to get it.  If it is a toy just out of reach, you will scooch, roll, and reach your way over there to get it, and you are so proud of yourself when you accomplish your goal.  Hang on to that quality, sweet girl.  Set good goals, and don't be afraid to work for them.

You have become extra wiggly this month.  You usually think it's pretty annoying to be held in my lap anymore, but you love to be sitting next to me.  If I try to hold you, you will just squirm and twist around until I put you down.  However, you hate being by yourself.  If you can see me in the same room as you, you are fine, but if you see me walk away from you, you panic and start to fuss.

Braxton is your favorite cousin right now.  He can make you laugh better than anyone in the family, including your daddy or me.  You think he is absolutely hilarious, and he loves that you give him so much attention.  You usually see him a few times a week, and I love watching him play with you.

We have been working on baby signs with you for a few months, and this morning you may or may not have showed me your first sign back.  You were laying on my bed and I looked at you and you reached out your hand and squeezed it shut like the sign for "milk."  When I asked if you wanted milk, doing the sign back, you got very excited.  I don't know if it was a coincidence or not, but I like to think that maybe you are picking it up and beginning to understand.

A funny little trait you have picked up this month is you are always sticking your little tongue out, especially if you are concentrating on something, just like your daddy.  I think you are so dang cute like this, and can't get enough of watching you do it.  You also love to pat your hands on things...your knee, the floor, your toys, me, whatever is near you.  It's like you're saying "Hey, I like this thing right here."

You love your baths so much! You could lay and sit in the water for an hour and be happy to just splash around.  We should probably get you some bath toys, huh?  You love getting me wet with your splashes.  You will kick the water and splash me in the face and then laugh and laugh.

You are keeping me on my toes, little one.  I can't believe I ever survived without you in my life.  You are the best thing that has ever happened to our family, and I am so glad I get to be your mommy.  Thanks for choosing us for your family!
I love you,
Mommy

To My Sweet 5 Month Old Baby Girl

Sweet Girl,

This month was a month of lots of fun with you. Some of my favorite highlights of this month have been:

• Taking you on your first road trip to Flaming Gorge.  You loved Great Grandma and Great Grandpa Flinders so much.  You loved sitting on their laps and talking to them.  They are almost completely deaf, so I'm not sure if they heard you, but they loved singing you songs and talking to you and just enjoying your sweet company.
• Watching you became a professional roller.  I used to leave you on the bed to do quick things, like take a shower, or load the dishwasher, or switch over a load of laundry.  You used to only roll once, and then stop, but after I ran to the bathroom to brush my teeth and came back to find you right on the edge of the bed, we had to stop doing that.  
• You sat in your first high chair at "Dairy Keen" in Heber.  You are so tiny that we had to shove a sweatshirt behind you to keep you from slipping all over the place, but you thought you were pretty dang cool sitting up with all the adults.
• You love to hang upside down and look around the room. You will lean back in our laps until you are looking upside down and then laugh and laugh.
• You also are starting to recognize when Daddy is coming in from school.  You hear the front door open and close and then start looking around, kicking your legs with excitement, for Daddy.  You love him so much, and I love watching you two together.
• You LOVE blowing spit bubbles.  You are constantly a drooly, wet mess because of your constant bubble blowing.  
• You have also discovered your voice this month.  While you are sitting in your bouncer in the kitchen while I cook dinner, you will chatter away at me the entire time.  I can't stop laughing at you, and you think it's pretty great to be getting attention, so you keep talking my ear off.
• You love to be naked, so every morning I will take off your jammies and change your diaper, but then I will bring you into our room and let you lay on our bed and wiggle around for a few minutes before getting you dressed.  You are all smiles during your morning "nakey time" and I love giggling at you.

You are such a content baby, and I love being your mommy.  It takes a lot for you to cry, and you are usually all smiles and giggles while you are awake.  I love you so much I can hardly stand it!

Love,

Mommy