6 Month Letter

Dear Nikos,

I can hardly believe that I am sitting here typing up your six-month letter! I know I say something like this every month, but I am truly shocked that you are already half of a year old. Where has the time gone? It seems like only yesterday that you were this little peanut we brought home from the hospital, squinting your eyes and getting your first glimpses of the outside world. By now, you've become a seasoned veteran of life-out-here. You continue to grow and change by the minute, and your sixth month has been filled with all sorts of wonderful memories that your daddy and I will treasure forever.

One of those moments was when we first fed you cereal from a spoon. Up until that point, you had consumed nothing but milk (and a few ounces of formula right after you were born). We knew that cereal would rock your world, and it most certainly did! As I put the first spoonful into your mouth, you gagged, made a horrible face, and proceeded to spit the cereal all over your face and bib. Daddy's high school friend, Seyi, was visiting that day, and she had you all figured out from the get-go. She said that you are going to be the type of boy who knows exactly what he likes and what he does not like, and you won't hesitate to let your opinion be known. So far, Seyi's prediction seems to be correct! Since your first cereal experience, you have made slow progress toward actually eating and liking the stuff (it helped when we switched to oatmeal instead of rice cereal, I think). You still haven't quite gotten the hang of swallowing it, but it doesn't seem to repulse you the way it once did!

Another great memory I will have of this month is your discovery of Charlie, our kitty. You'd been noticing him for quite a while, but this month you suddenly became obsessed with him. If he walks into the room while one of us is holding you, you start squirming like crazy and reaching for him. If he gets within arm's reach, you automatically reach out and stroke his soft fur, chattering to him all the while. And if we try to take you farther away from him while you are petting him, you begin to fuss until we bring you back. You really like our little kitty, and it shows!

One thing I've really noticed this month is that you have gotten so much better at actually playing with your toys. You love to pick up and dump out your little bucket of blocks, and you know how to make the music start on your stacker toy. You actually jump and spin in your jumperoo, an you carefully examine the different textures on your soft blocks when you play on the floor. You love to bang your toys against one another and make lots of noise, which delights you tremendously. You squeal happily when you see Sugarbear (your favorite teddy bear), and you are endlessly entertained by helium balloons, especially when one is tied to your wrist or ankle. You crack up when Daddy and I pretend to eat your belly, sing silly songs, or just generally act goofy. You are one happy and playful little guy!

There's so much else I could say, but I suppose that I should bring this letter to a close. You continue to be the light of our lives, and we love you more than you will ever know (that is, until you have children of your own). Happy half-birthday, little peanut!

All Our Love,
Mommy and Daddy

P.S. Your 6-Month Stats: 16 lbs., 10 oz., 26 inches long