6 months!!

As 5 months was an indication of, these 'photo shoots' are getting harder with a squirmy wormy.

She wants nothing more than to gnaw on the small dry-erase sign. At least I worked a couple smiles out of her. I love the one where it looks like she's really reading, despite the fact that it also looks like she's missing a leg.

6 months has marked the start of many new beginnings. In many ways, she seems like a completely different baby than she did in July (do I say this often?...)

One day, I perched her up to have her try and sit on her on, and voila! She had gained the ability to do so overnight. Suddenly, there she was, solid and sure of herself, and while of course more often than not she falls to the side or behind, she sure has a strong set of abs and great posture; she's a sitting-up master! It's really opened up the world to/for her. Suddenly, she can really see what's going on around her. It's easier for her to play with her toys. To watch the cats walk by. She's so content.

She's also finally eating solids. We started with oatmeal...then worked in avocado...and now we're on blueberries. Is she a California girl or what?? ;)

I admit there was much hesitation on my part. Selfishly, I 'put-off' starting solids for a couple reasons: 1. I was afraid of the change. 2. I didn't want to cross that milestone b/c it meant my little infant was growing up. I didn't know where to start. I agonized over the options; traditional rice cereal (recommended b/c it's not known to produce an allergic reaction. Yet more recently frowned upon as an empty carb). I leaned towards oatmeal. I heavily considered skipping even that, and going straight to avocado. In the end, I think it all worked out for the best, and I'll write more about it in a post dedicated to starting solids.

Also in the same week that we started feeding her solids, she went back to sleeping throughout the night. Hooray! She's always been an excellent sleeper, yet it seemed like all of 'month 5,' she was waking twice a night. Welp, either it's a true coincedence, or solids really do help; I'm afraid she was simply hungry.

Mila continues to be a happy, mellow girl. She's laughing more and more (sometimes at nothing in particular; often when we simply look at her-it's hilarious). She's still great at restaurants, whether in a high chair (that's a new thing!) or simply sitting in the booth next to someone.

She's even being a trooper with this extreme heat and humidity that we've had for about a month now. I look forward to Fall, when she sleeps in footed PJs and isn't sweaty when I pull her out of her car seat.

I've always said I like this age! 6 months is SO fun!