Happy Half-Birthday!

Dear Amelia,

I can't believe you're 6 months old! I still remember the day you came into this world like it was just yesterday. I remember your daddy holding you and looking at me with proud tears of joy in his eyes. I remember thinking that you were so perfect that you couldn't be real. I remember feeling like the luckiest mommy in the world because you're MY daughter.

These last 6 months have flown by and I can't believe what a big girl you've become. You are growing like a weed. It's amazing how you went from such a tiny little baby to this little person. You really are like a doll and trust me, I get my fair share of dress-up time dressing you each day. :)

Besides growing, you've come so far in your development. You mastered rolling as if it were nothing. You sit up like a little princess holding court. You have your first tooth. You stand (with me supporting you) so well that I hold my breath wondering when you'll walk right out of my hands.

Your laugh is sweet music to my ears. Your smile is infectious. I love watching you in social situations. We'll be in the grocery store and you'll stare people down until they look at you and then give them the biggest smile. You're also the nosiest little thing. You have to have a look at EVERYTHING! The more there is to see, the better. :) I love that you're so curious. I hope that you'll always love to learn.

When people ask me if you're a good baby, I tell them you're a perfect baby. And you are. You sleep well (except recently since that silly thing called teething started). You have the best temperament. You're a generally happy little girl who is content to watch the world around you. Crying is reserved for when you're super tired or something is wrong. Since you cry so rarely, when you do, I know there is something really bothering you. For the most part you're a smiley, happy baby.

Now that you've reached 6 months we've started you on solid foods. We started with rice cereal and the first time you tried it, you seemed to like it. It was beginner's luck. The next two times we tried you would have nothing to do with it. And you never took to oatmeal. But sweet potatoes, peas, squash and carrots? You LOVE them! Seeing the joy on your face as you gobble them down is one of my favorite parts of the day. Of course you're still breast feeding and I love our snuggle time together. I think you do too. I never thought I would enjoy breast feeding this much. I secretly rolled my eyes when other people said that they would breast feed longer if they could. Now I get it. We won't do this past the one year mark but I get it. It's our time. It's part of the day when just you and I get to be a part of each other like no one else can be a part of us. It really is a beautiful bond and one day when you have a little one, I hope you'll understand what I'm saying.

With so much that these 6 months have brought about, I can only imagine what's to come before your first birthday. You're thinking so hard about crawling and the way you babble, maybe we'll get a "mama" or "dada" from you. I don't know what's to come but I do know this - the next 6 months will provide your daddy and I many, many, many more opportunities to fall deeper and deeper in love with you.

All my love,

Mommy

p.s. If you're reading this and your nickname is still Moo-Moo, I'm sorry. I really didn't mean for that nickname to stick but you love to eat and it just came about. Forgive me but in some ways you really did bring it upon yourself.