Six months

This morning as I was feeding Edith in bed, I switched her to the other side. Evidently I didn’t get boob number two to her quickly enough because she rolled over, got up on all fours and lunged at me.

Welcome to having a six-month-old!

The last month has been challenging, but it’s also mind-blowing how quickly she is developing. She can now sit up, roll from back to front and scoot halfway across the room. What’s more, she’s eating—and loving—solid food.

She focuses on one skill for a while, masters it and then moves on to her next favorite activity. Over Christmas, her Aunt Amy showed her how to blow spit bubbles and raspberries. Edith spent the next week with nonstop blubber lips. Now, though, she has mostly left that behind as she focuses on dropping toys and rolling over.

This has also been the most fun I’ve had with her. I love finding the ticklish spots in her armpits, her sides and between her ear and chin. Her laugh gets the entire room in stitches.

Edith is proving to be a music lover, too. I sing her to sleep every night—thankfully she’s usually out by the time I exhaust my repertoire. During the day, I sing more upbeat tunes when I dress her or put her in the car seat, which tend to be her fussier times. Nine times out of ten, the tune distracts her and leaves her smiling.

She doesn’t stop moving, either. At a recent pediatrician appointment, her doctor asked, “Does she always kick this much?” She’s like her dad in that way: She doesn’t stay still for long. She likes it when we move, too. The other night she burst into giggles when Eric danced for her. And if she wants to turn around or reach for something, she’ll lean her body in that direction until we do what she wants.

Edith’s sixth month will be full of other changes, too. We moved into a new apartment just before the end of the year. Eric started a new job yesterday. We visited family, and other family visited us.

We are welcoming 2014 as Edith turns half a year old. I love the New Year for its promise of fresh starts and opportunity. I don’t know what the next months hold in store for our family, but I am optimistic for their potential.

This year is sure to have its share of challenges. But I can’t wait to watch our Peeper continue to grow into the inquisitive, opinionated, playful little girl she already is.