Six Months

Six Months Old.

Oh, Emma.

This has been my favorite month, by far. There's so much going on inside that little big head of yours, and it sometimes pains me to think I'm sitting in a cubicle at work missing all these tiny developments and breakthroughs that turn into neat tricks like rolling over and creeping, and pulling apart your stacking rings.

Independent. Your military-style crawl cracks me up, but your determination to get where you want to go is fierce - and frankly, a little frightening coming from a six-month-old. You always want the toy that's just out of reach. You always want to go check out unfamiliar spaces and objects. And you're always frustrated by those who don't let you accomplish these things on your own. I know where this comes from. But don't fret - you'll be full-on crawling soon, and I just know you'll be walking before you turn one.

Persistent. Your favorite toys are the ones you haven't figured out how to use yet. You practice and practice, watching Mama or Dada do something, and then do your best to imitate our actions. Alas, your motor skills aren't quite there yet for some of these toys, but that doesn't keep you from trying again and again anyway. I adore this about you. Don't get discouraged.

Adventurous. Right now this mostly applies to your palette, but if it's any indication  to your developing personality, I believe we have a little explorer on our hands. We haven't found a food you don't like. The sweets - applesauce, bananas, carrots, peaches, plums, pears, prunes, sweet potatoes - are no surprise, but you're also a fan of brown rice, corn, green beans, peas, and squash. We're going to have to step up our game and try more non-typical baby foods. I'm thinking avocado and mango, two staples from Mama's Spanish roots, are definitely must-try items.

Talkative. You've been practicing your syllables with the same persistence you apply to mastering tricks & toys. The first non-baby-babble syllables came earlier this month when you started saying dada. That was only four days ago. You're now working on lala and baba, which is just awesome. You know what would be even awesomer? If you started practicing mama, too. No pressure.

Love, Mama