Happy Half-Birthday, Quinn! 6-Month Update

Dear Quinn,
Still such a baby but growing into a boy! It's absolutely baffling that we can say "Happy Half-Birthday!" to you already! This month ROCKED! You're finally eating and sleeping again after a month of not doing much of that before. You seem much happier - which makes ME much happier! You still need a lot of "re-pacying" at night, and you sometimes flip over to your back and need us to flip you back to your belly to go to sleep, but you are so much better at soothing yourself and getting back to sleep on your own. I have to say I miss holding you and rocking you to a sound sleep, but I love that we have coached you to becoming a better sleeper these days. (Rules that have helped us: once you are in your crib, we don't pick you up; very little touching is done once in your crib because this seemed to be making you more alert rather than soothing you; dipping your paci in a cup of water before giving it to you helps you, too. Gripe water has helped your tummy settle at night, as well.)

Watching you develop and grow this month has been amazing. Daddy and I were just talking about this the other night. We have seen you become so much more aware of us, of yourself, of Banner, and of your surroundings. You LOVE to be LOVED, and you are more and more giggly and silly every day. You love eye contact, touch, hugs, kisses, attention, and interaction. You get bored easily without these things. You are slightly shy about how much you want to play with us - often looking at us, smiling, then looking away. . . SO much like your mommy! :)

Physically, you still have those beautiful baby blue eyes; your skin is like alabaster - perfectly white and smooth; your hair is very light brown, although it's so scarce around the ears and back that it looks blonde in certain light; you still have this curly tuft of hair right on top of your head that is getting pretty long! You are definitely plumping up with awesome rolls on your thighs! Everyone says you look so much like your daddy. I agree you certainly look like his little boy. You have his nose, and perhaps his eye shape, and certainly his coloring. But, I also see so many other people when I look at you... first and foremost, I see your Bubbie in your eyebrows and upper lip. But, I see my dad and my grandpa in your bottom lip, your Uncle Trey and your cousin Mara in the eyes sometimes, your cousin Colby's coloring from time to time, Banner's thoughtful furrowed brow, and sometimes I see glimpses of my own baby pictures in your cheeks and chin. All of this could change by next month, too! Everyone sees who they want to see - and with your light coloring, I understand why everyone thinks you look just like Daddy... they said the same thing about Banner at your age. What I see mostly, though? I see you. I see this emerging personality and traits all your own. You have a beautiful family of people you resemble, and you are this wonderful mix of so many people who love you. But, you look just like you - just like Quinn. And, THAT is the most beautiful resemblance!

Here's what's IN with you:

• Veggies and Fruits! You love eating things with more flavor - unlike your cereals last month (although you've gotten better at eating those, too). You've tried green beans, peas, carrots, sweet potatoes, squash, apples, bananas, pears, prunes, and tomorrow we start peaches. You weren't a huge fan of bananas, but everything else has been a big hit!
• Banner! You LOVE this kid. Hear his voice, and you turn to find him with a big grin. See him across the room, and follow his every move. Get attention from him, and you light up! You reach and grab for him all you can. He loves to give you kisses and hugs. In fact, my favorite is when he gets up from his nap and comes to "lay keppe" on your lap while I'm holding you. Recently, you have started almost hugging him when he does this - somewhat pulling on his hair and leaning into him. So sweet! 
• Grabbing anything you can get your hands on - and putting it in your mouth. The funniest, yet most annoying, is when I'm bathing you, you reach for the faucet while the water is running and try to put it in your mouth. You're pulling my hair (ouch!), reaching for your bottle, swatting and grabbing at toys, and playing with your feet all the time.
• Rolling over every which way! I'm so relieved that you finally met the milestone of rolling from your back to your belly! I think this will make you happier at night when you flip yourself over ... because now you can flip yourself back! This took a while for you to figure out - still within normal - but ever since having RSV, you hadn't met many milestones and seemed "stuck" in your development at 4 months old. Well, we're playing catch up now, and I love finally seeing you roll over to get the toys or the views you want.
• Sitting up! I knew you'd be much happier when you could play with your toys while sitting, and I was right.
• Soothing yourself. You have started rubbing your eyes when tired, and sometimes you bonk yourself on the head with your fist over and over again. It's a soothing tactic, but I think you don't really know who's hitting you in the head.
• Medications through a pacifier dispenser. . . you took your ear infection med great this way last month, and this month, we've been giving you Gripe Water just before bedtime to soothe your tummy, and you take it like a champ with this medicine dispenser
• Bath time! You're splishing and splashing every night.
• Being naked or only in a diaper
• Lots of drool, and even more spitting up... not the quantity that would come out of Banner, but definitely the frequency - my poor boys!
• HUGS and KISSES! Touch and tickles! You just laugh and giggle when you get undivided attention! You're starting to hug and kiss us, too. I CAN'T GET ENOUGH OF THIS! Every morning, and after naps, you will grab my head or face and burrow in, and when I give you kisses, you will turn your head with an open mouth to give your own smooches.
• Sense of humor! You are getting to be quite the little comedian with your silly babbling (which you do a LOT - /m/, /b/, /d/, /l/, and lots of raspberries) and funny expressions. You also like it when we tap your lips while you say "ahhh!"

Here's what's OUT:

• Losing your paci
• Going to nap when you're just not quite ready. Sometimes you have to get that last bit of energy out, and then you're fast asleep.
• Getting your nose cleaned out - you've been a little snotty since having RSV, and we often have to aspirate your nose - you hate this, but you're doing a good job at tolerating it.
• Having to wait to eat your last bottle while I finish putting on your pajamas
• Not being able to put yourself in a sitting position... after rolling around and playing on your back for a little bit, you get pretty frustrated if someone doesn't help you sit up. 

Stats:

• We had your 6 month well-check with Dr. B today. You were a champ! He even noted how mellow you were... which you were until your three shots. Even then, you handled it well! Here's what we learned:
• You weigh 17 pounds, 14 ounces = 60th percentile
• You are 26 and 3/4 inches long = 60th percentile
• Your head circumference is 43.1 cm = 35th percentile
• Developmentally, you are right on track! We can start giving you water now, as well as Puffs or Cheerios as soon as you are up on all fours (in a crawling stance). We'll be adding more fruits and veggies to your diet until your 9 month check-up - still SO many things to try! I love finding out what you love!
• We will be starting Claritin tonight to see if that will help clear your congestion you've pretty much had since birth. Hoping this helps you!!
• Level 3 nipples - started a few weeks ago to help you get more formula faster since feedings were taking so long
• Size 3 diapers
• 6M, 6-9M, 9M clothing (which works well for these seasons to wear Banner's old clothes)
• 6-8 oz bottles, 4 times a day around 7:00, 10:30/11, 2:30ish, 7:00, with a breakfast of oatmeal and a dinner of veggie and/or fruit and a cereal (either rice or barley) around 5:15

Other things that happened this month:

-We met Baby Cousin Levi!!! So far, you've only taken one nap together and played on the play mat twice together - but I see you two becoming fast friends in the near future! Between you, Levi, and Nami being so close in age - I can't wait to watch the three of you play soon!

-We went to the park for the first time a couple weeks ago. You loved the swing, although it was a bit chilly and a lot windy! I think the wind confuses you - you're not sure where that gust comes from or why it feels funny, so you often make a gasping sound and blink a lot in it, but otherwise you tolerate it well.

-You're sitting nicely in the bath ring, and although you're still taking baths in the infant tub over the sink, we can use the bath ring for you to sit in the shower to play in the water with Banner. You certainly seem to love the water.

-We had a Valentine's Day play date, but you slept (or didn't really but you fought your nap time) through most of the fun.

Quinn Redding, I tucked you in this evening after you finished your bottle. You fell asleep in my arms, which I try not to let you do very often (usually, you go to bed "drowsy but awake"). As you breathed peacefully, relaxed and calm, I whispered to you: "Goodnight, sweet boy. Happy 6 months. Happy half-birthday. Six months from now, you will celebrate your big birthday - eating cake for the first time. You'll drink real milk. You'll have more hair. You'll have some teeth. You'll be in bigger clothes, and you'll be crawling or walking and be more independent. You'll be saying some words. You'll know me better, and I'll know you better. But, I'll love you just the same as in this very moment. I love you so much just as you are." Tears came to my eyes and fell down my cheeks, as I thought back to six months ago when we met - and how much you have grown, how much you have learned, how different, yet how the same you are to that newborn baby! You're just the most loving, lovable little guy, and I have so enjoyed this past half-year getting to meet you, know you, watch you, and most of all, LOVE YOU!

Happy Half-Birthday, My Love!
I LOVE YOU!
Love,
Mommy