♥ 6 Months Later ♥

I started writing this a little early, but I finished it today, on Gracie's six-month birthday! The time has flown past, and I don't know how. Pregnancy, that long night of waiting in the hospital, and her first few days all seem an age ago. At six months Gracie is this amazing little person, with a personality all her own, a sunshine soul, and smiles that melt my heart. She seems a world away from that tiny little sleepy bundle we brought home from the hospital. Already she has learned love, security, comfort, and can distinguish them from worry, fear, and pain. She knows how to sleep on her own, she loves her Daddy and looks for him when she knows he's nearby. She knows our voices, our little daily traditions.


She makes me feel like I am, at least to her, a wonderful person. What a gift that is. When we first brought her home, before she knew how to find us, knew our faces and voices, I wondered if she would like me, much less love me. Steve can attest to this--I worried about it quite frequently those first few weeks. But then she learned how to smile and it changed my world. Now she kicks and grins and coos when we go to get her up from a nap, and it is the best thing. Just the best.


I find every new moment to be painfully bittersweet. I rejoice to see her learn something new--to roll over, to find her toes, to coo and chatter and babble. But every time I hold her I see how big she has gotten, how quickly she is changing, and I feel a pang at knowing she is growing up right before my eyes.


It is humbling to be a guardian, caretaker, mommy to our sunshine baby. What a blessing she is, and she doesn't even know it yet. I hope she will know someday just how loved and beautiful she is. ♥


At 6 months, Gracie...

• Weighs 16lb 6oz (the 75%),
• Has a head circumference of 44cm (the 90-95%),
• Is 25in long (the 90-95%),
• Can roll anywhere she wants to get to, push up on her arms (a bit), and almost sit up,
• Is learning to sit on our hips and cling to us (so cute!),
  
• Has had rice cereal for quite a few weeks now,
• Has had her first taste of real food (peas) and enjoyed it,
• Loves books (both reading and chewing), kisses (they make her laugh), jumping with her Daddy, singing "Wheels on the Bus" with Mommy, being held by all kinds of people at church, grocery shopping, things that are red (Yoplait cups especially), her toes, chewing on toys, and playing with Mason,
• Sucks her thumb only to fall asleep,
  
• Has been sleeping through the night for almost four months (way to go, Gracie!), and
  
• Makes us melt over her cuteness every single day.