To Lydia at 6 months

You love splashing in the sand! It's so much fun!

A trip on the ferry.

Rubber Ducky, you're the one! You make bathtime so much fun!

Dear Lydia,

The days seem to go by so fast. I feel like I just wrote you one of these letters last week! And I think the list has gotten longer than the last letter too of all your new tricks! I have truly enjoyed spending these last 6 months with you. Motherhood is a miraculous experience, as you will one day learn. To watch a choice spirit of our Heavenly Father explore the world for the first time feels like I'm experiencing it all for the first time again, only this time I will remember it more.

As I mentioned, you have developed so many new tricks! And have experienced so many new things! This month you have:

*learned how to sit up all on your own! It threw me for a surprise how quickly it happened! One day you were able to sit up with a boppy and just a couple days later you were fine without! This has opened up so many new worlds for you! There's so much more you can see when you're not laying down. In fact, at this point you have so much confidence in your sitting up that you lunge for desirable items and try oh so hard to get them.

*You have also figured out how helpful rolling around can be! You can move closer to that desired item and actually grab it! I expect you to be rolling around the whole apartment within the next week. You also pull yourself up on your hands and knees very well and appear to want to move forward. So, I think you'll be crawling soon too.

*You have tried your first solid foods. You have tried rice cereal, peas, pears, bananas, squash, sweet potatoes, peaches, and apples. Oh, and chicken and turkey. However, those last two you would like to forget. When we were trying to feed you these you eventually got to the point you would not even open your mouth and began to gag. So, I guess you will be a vegetarian for now.

*Sadly, you got your first sunburn this month. Poor girl!

*You can fall asleep all on your own now! Hooray! Such a big girl!

*You've developed a pretty regular schedule. Get up between 7 and 8, nap at about 10:30-12, nap at about 4-5 and then bed at about 9:30.

*You seem to prefer Mommy more than Daddy most the time. However, you still want Daddy once in a while. Like right now.

*I taught you how to take washcloths and blankets off of your head. You are so good at it! However, it seems to have backfired on me. Now you don't want to leave hats on your head either. Luckily you don't take off the hairbows yet!

*You love to play in the bathtub more now than ever before. Especially when your little toys squirt you in the mouth! You hang your tongue out and try to get as much of the water in your mouth as possible! However, you also have decided to poop in the tub twice this week. This we can do without.

*We gave you your first sippy cup today. It has handles and so you are able to hold it very well and occasionally decide to drink out of it. I think it's your new favorite toy. Luckily it's spill proof!

*You laugh more with interaction now. Like when we play peek a boo or other games with you.

*You reach for people you want now.

*You seem to be more shy around strangers. They always try to play with you and make you laugh, but all you seem to do is stare.

Overall, it has been another wonderful month! You went to the doctor this morning and got your well check. You weigh 17 lbs 11 oz and measure 27.5 inches long. You fall into the 75th percentile for your age. And I got to mark "yes" on nearly all of the new 6 month tricks! You are so developed for your age! There's a big world out there to explore and you are so ready for it! I hope I can keep up with you!

I love you Dear Lydia. You are helping me to become a better person. I am learning to be more patient and empathetic. I am also realizing the areas of my life which I want to improve so that I can be a better example for you. I want to want you to walk in my footsteps because they are the same path that Christ walked. He loves you so much. You are a beautiful daughter of our Heavenly Father. I don't think I can teach you that enough because understanding that simple concept shapes what we think about ourselves and determines our actions. He has a plan for you. So, always seek him in prayer and he will teach it to you.

Once again, I love you. Until next time,
Momma