A Girl Named PJ

Dear Levi,

You are six months old! Happy half birthday! The day you were born, July 12, 2011, seems like a lifetime ago, yet the months have passed so quickly. I look at photos of you as a newborn and can hardly remember you being that small.

You continue to eat your oatmeal like a champ, making much less of a mess during dinner time. You’ve stopped batting your arms at the spoon and have started opening your mouth in anticipation of the food. However, the oatmeal does not help you sleep any longer at night, so at Christmas we decided it was time to sleep train following the Ferber Method. You no longer wake up between 1-2am for a diaper change, but you can only go 7-8 hours from when you fall asleep until you wake up to eat. On a good night that means you go to bed at 7:30pm, wake up at 3:30am and start your day around 6:30-7:00am. On a bad night, we could be up multiple times.

Speaking of sleep, you now take all of your naps in your crib, and you no longer mind sleeping on your stomach (although your favorite position is on your side). You’ve mastered rolling over but are still working on sitting up unassisted. Another cool development? When we say your name, you look up at us! And while you were all about blowing bubbles last month, you now enjoy sticking out your tongue all the time.

You get the giggles when we play games like peek-a-boo, but you laugh the most for Daddy. He makes silly noises into your neck and lifts you up over his head, blowing air into your face. You love that. Sometimes I get jealous because I can’t get you hysterical like he can. But I know I must be doing something right because you’re starting to show signs of separation anxiety when I pass you off to somebody new. And when I carry you, it really feels as though you’re reaching your arms around me, holding tight. But what really melts my heart is when you rest your tired little head on my shoulder. That’s the best thing ever.

Now for stats: You’re eating 5-6 times during the day and once at night. Two of those daytime feedings are 7oz bottles that your nanny gives your while I work. Most of your clothing is size 3-6 months, but some brands don’t fit as well as others because you are pretty thin. That means many of the outfits we bought for you to wear this winter still don’t fit! You’re a whopping 28 inches long but weigh only 14lbs 6oz. It could just be that you’re predisposed to be a skinny kiddo, but your pediatrician wants us to try to fatten you up by adding butter, mayo or ranch dressing to your baby food for a month. Yep, it’s time for fruits, vegetables, dairy and meat! I have a feeling you’re going to love eating.

Keep laughing and growing, baby guy!

xoxo

***********

I’ll be photographing Levi on the 12th of every month to document his growth this first year. He’ll be wearing a numbered white onesie corresponding to his age in months, sitting in a chair next to his blabla doll for continuity. See all of Levi’s monthly photos here.

{photo taken the day before Levi’s 6 month birthday, 01/11/12}