Sam is Six Months Old

Dear Sam,

You are getting to be such a big boy now. You are learning new things all the time and interacting with the world around you more and more.

In the last three months you have learned to:

• Roll from back to front
• Pass a toy from one hand to another
• Recognize mommy and daddy in a sea of faces
• Sit up unassisted (but not unsupervised)

You have also started lifting your arms up when you want to be picked up, and you’ve discovered your feet. Starting just before 5 months, as soon as your diaper comes off, you immediately grab your feet. You also love being naked and aren’t a fan of the clothes on and off process.

You love watching the doggies play and wrestle (we call this your “Doggie TV”), squealing at your reflection in the mirror, and being tossed in the air. You smile with your whole face and flash these wonderful, wide-open mouth grins that make all my cares disappear in that moment. Your easy belly laugh has quickly become one of my all-time favorite sounds.

You are our little snuggler. You curl right in to us and give the best little hugs. You continue to be a very happy, content little man.

At your 6-month check-up, you weighed 17 pounds (31st percentile) and measured 27 inches (60th percentile) with a head circumference of 17 inches (25th percentile). You’re turning into a long, skinny boy before our eyes. Your hair has finally started to grow in too. You still look like a baldy from a distance, but there’s no denying the fuzzy coating up close.

You started sitting up on your own (for 1-2 minutes at a time without toppling) about a week before hitting the 6-month mark. You learned to stabilize yourself very quickly and within a week were sitting for 5 minutes or more without falling over.

You’ve been sleeping in 3-4 hour chunks at night these last several months, usually waking up to eat 2-3 times. Every once in a while you give us a long stretch of sleep and only eat once. You used to consistently sleep in ’til 10am (with a 9pm bedtime), but lately you’ll wake anywhere from 8:30 to 9:30. Slowly but surely you’ve started to become a longer, more consistently napper, which makes Mommy very happy.

We have lots of nicknames for you, including SamSam (our favorite), Sammy, Samson, Samerson, Sam-a-long, Sampleton, Samsonite, and BudBud.

I bought you the next size up pacifier, and you became a paci boy overnight. You love your pacis and they’re very soothing for you. You still chew your hands occasionally, but I don’t think you’ll be a thumbsucker after all.

We have a ring sling now, in addition to the Boba carrier, and you enjoy being worn on my hip on trips to the store or while I’m working around the house. The vacuum is not so scary when you’re attached to Mama’s side.

You’ve experienced your first Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Years. Cousin Max loved having you around for Thanksgiving and Christmas; we hope the two of you will grow up to be great friends. You also got to meet Aunt Karen and Uncle Doug for the first time. You were pretty much the center of attention and main entertainment at all the family holiday gatherings. Your grandparents, aunts, uncles, and cousins love you very much, as do your many honorary aunts, uncles, and cousins.

Love,
Mommy

And now some pictures…

Reading with Aunt Laura and Cousin Max at Thanksgiving:

Cousin love:

Aunt Karen was so excited to meet you!

4 months old:

Playing with your toes:

Checking out the Christmas tree with Grandma:

The cousins in matching ping pong shirts at Christmas:

Laughing with Aunt Marsha on Christmas Day:

[vimeo http://www.vimeo.com/37135697 w=600&h=450]

Sam laughing with Aunt Marsha from Sarah on Vimeo.

5 months old:

Learning to sit:

Paci boy:

6 months old:

Tossing with Daddy:
[vimeo http://www.vimeo.com/36621549 w=600&h=450]

You’ve Got To Toss Me from Sarah on Vimeo.