Half a Year of Parenthood

Okay, okay...I know I should be updating more often than a quarter of a year. I'll try to do better.

(Those who believe that obviously don't actually know me.) :-)

Our daughter Tessa turned six months old on Monday. It's hard to believe that Kate and I have been parents to such a wonderful blessing for that long. I find myself in that old paradox where it feels like she's always been part of our family...and yet she still seems so fresh and new to us. I don't want her to grow up too fast...and at the same time I can't wait to see what she learns to do next.

She has grown up amazingly fast, I think. Just recently we finally took down the lovely handmade cradle that my Dad made for us because Tessa just doesn't fit into it anymore. Please observe...

This is Tessa lying in her cradle for the first time when we brought her home:



And this is Tessa trying to squeeze into it at the end of May:



See the difference?

You don't?

How about this...?

This is Tessa with her Mommy back in December:



And this is a more recent picture (May) of Tessa with Mommy:



She's getting big!

Okay, last one...

Here's Tessa in her car seat at about four days old:



And here's Tessa at exactly six months:



She is rapidly turning into her own little person!

She's rolling over like a pro now and seems to be grasping the concept of 'skooching' though she hasn't mastered it yet. She gave us a scare a week or so ago when she rolled right out of our bed while I was half-dozing. Naturally she was fine - just startled, which got her crying for a while.

She loves to stand up (with help from her Mommy and Daddy). We're holding an "Excersaucer" for Emily and Jason and found out that Tessa loves it! She'll play with the toys but mostly she likes bouncing up and down.

While we were at my parents' house, we also learned that Tessa loves to swing. Kate is trying to make regular outings to the nearby park so Tessa can plop down in the bucket swing for a while.

She's showing an interest in solid food, staring at it when Kate and I have dinner. Kate's still exclusively nursing on demand but we'll probably be considering some homemade food options in the next month or so.

She's also a grabby little thing. Anything that she can get a hold of, she will...and usually ends up cramming it into her mouth. Last Sunday, we left our church bulletin within reach and she mangled it. At her well-child doctor's appointment this morning, she had fun shredding the paper lining of the examination table.

I'm not going to lie and see that everything is absolutely perfect all the time. Tessa has her moments...like when she refuses to settle down and take a nap, even though it's obvious she (and her parents) need one. Or when she gleefully explodes out of her diaper for the third night in a row. Or when she grabs a hold of Mommy or Daddy's hair, yanks hard, and won't let go.

But these are all minor things and they quickly pass. Truly, Tessa is a joy and a wonder and I love every single opportunity I get to watch her grow.

Happy Six Months, Baby Girl! Daddy loves you so much! :-)

As always, thanks for reading...and I hope you're having a great day!