
Dear Roo,
Holy unbelievable, you're six months old. And almost a week. Time is moving in warp speed now. To watch someone grow and change so quickly is a little bit mind-blowing. Good gravy.
But what a sea change from three or four months ago. What a delicious, sweet, charming little imp you've become. Smiles for everyone and everything. Big open-mouth kisses and squeals. Grown-up belly laughs when we tickle you. It's like you radiate joy. A cliche, I know, but it couldn't be more true.
This month has been all about playing. You sit up relatively well, too engaged with the world around you to be bothered with such details as balance and composure. You reach and grab like an octopus, your tiny fingers grasping for that one.last.inch . . . Once an object has been retrieved it is brought to the mouth, tasted, pondered, flipped over, banged on, banged on the ground, held aloft, stretched, discussed, then tossed aside. Repeat. Over and over again. You have learned to dig for things in your basket of toys. You throw them off the highchair tray. The funniest mode of play is on the kitchen counter in the Bumbo, where you will dislodge the coffee pot and toss it to the ground, while swinging its cord. You have broken Pyrex dishes I was SURE were out of reach. You explore the dish drainer with relentless zeal. You love bread bags and chip packages. Anything crinkly and inherently unsafe.
My little scientist. Observing, assessing. Learning. You are inches from crawling. The rear end has been figured out. Your tiny knees tuck up under you and push, but your front half hasn't figured out how to locomote. So it results in this slow slide to one side, where you prop yourself up on elbows like a model in a magazine shoot. So goshdarn funny.
You are my cherub in the sling, wrapped up every night after your sister goes upstairs. We pick up and play a bit, then walk slowly to sleep, your fuzzy blonde head on my chest. It is the moment I want to bottle up and revisit ten, fifteen years from now. It is the essence of motherhood.
It is perfect, just like you.
Happy half birthday my littlest girl. I am so lucky to have you.