6 Months Old!!

A special thanks to Daddy for taking me to my 6 month check-up while Mom was home with the flu. I got a chance to show him how brave I was - after 3 shots and 2 minutes of crying, I was reaching for the check up table paper and ready to tear it to shreds again!

I am 6 months old.
I weigh 17 lbs 9 oz. (50%)
I am 25.5 inches tall (25%)
I am one healthy boy...on the verge of crawling, super coordinated, and according to my Pediatrician have an unusually sunny disposition and am "VERY motor!!! - watch out!"

This past month I:
-Went to Oregon and had my first Thanksgiving (Mom gave me some mashed potatoes!). At Grammy and Gramps house, we also had a bonfire and I watched everyone roast hot dogs - but mostly I just LOVED staring at the fire, and the stars. Mom & Dad, Aunt Jamie and Brandon all took me swimming and I had a lot of fun in the pool, I even made friends with a little boy named Jesse (he's 5).
-Love to BOUNCE and JUMP up and down in my exersaucer.
-Still enjoy sucking and gnawing on my hands, fingers, fists, and toes.
-Learned to sit all by myself and now proudly sit in the bathtub and play with my squirty toys.
-Really like to experiment with my voice. I've discovered that when I squeal in church, it echoes. Lucky for me, they all adore me and don't mind the noise (I'm the only baby).
-Am still watching Mom and Dad sign a few basics at me. I'm thinking about responding...eventually. I have let on that I understand the "more" and "all done" signs at mealtime.
-Had my first (paid) sitter come over to watch me while Mom and Dad went to Mint's Holiday dinner. I didn't take the bottle, but I had a great time playing with my sitter!
-Finally have my nap schedule down pat. I usually sleep about an hour at 9am and then about 2 hours at 1pm. Yay for naps! (Now, if I could just get my Mom to take one!)
-Have started saying "Ma-Ma" a LOT (among other vowel-sounds, also "Na Na, Da Da" etc.) but it's more just because it's fun to say than because I'm directing it at Mom (yet).
-Am starting to get the hang of drinking from my sippy cup.

I love:
-My homemade toys and my stacking cups (they are SO fun to knock over!).
-Bathtime w/ my bathtoys!
-Storytime, books, and activity songs and rhymes. My favorite songs are: The Wheels on the Bus, I am a Child of God, Twinkle Twinkle Little Star, The Grand Old Duke of York, and Silent Night.
-Snuggling and cuddling while Mommy rocks and sings to me.
-Being outside and looking at everything there is to see.
-Touching many different textures.
-Sitting on the kitchen floor and watching/helping/cheering on my parents while they cook.
-Giving my Mommy slobbery kisses all over her cheeks. (But not Daddy, his face is too rough and bristly!)
-My class at school. And all the friends I have that are my age! We are starting to notice one another more and more and interact - it's fun.
-Food. Organic Carrots are my absolute FAVE!

I don't like:
Well, it's pretty frustrating when you get yourself situated in one direction and try moving forward...but end up pushing yourself up and scooting yourself backward, even further away from the object of interest. I am so close to getting it - I wriggle and roll and often get my target - but I just need to get this crawling thing figured out and I'll be super happy - and super into EVERYTHING. I'm an extremely energetic guy! Good thing my parents think of me as a Little Scientist and let me explore everything (within the realms of safety). Life is Good!