Abby at 6 months

So, Abby is 6 months old this week. So, what's new?

1. She sits by herself. Actually, she insists on sitting for several hours a day. She regularly wiggles and moans if you try to hold her or lay her down and looks pleased as punch to look at the world from a vertical position. She spent 10 minutes of her double stroller ride today in the old carseat, holding her head up awkwardly because she wanted to be sitting rather than reclining. I guess it's time to take out the car seat and strap her into the seat! Though 5 minutes later she was napping happily, which was my goal all along!

2. She reaches. She's been reaching for objects for several months, but in the past week or so it's changed. She fixes her attention on an object and DECIDES she wants it, then tries to maneuver either her hands or body or both to get it. It is very deliberate, and is followed by a great deal of moaning and squealing if she cannot reach the object. And nearly every object that comes within a foot of her is fair game for reaching and discovery of its features. Today she had a first encounter with the baby fishbowl and one of Jake's trucks, each for over 5 minutes. She was not yet able to figure out that she could reach into the fishbowl to retrieve objects, but she did knock it over by accident and pick up what fell out. She's also able to lean quite a ways forward to combine 1 and 2, and reach things while she's sitting that are not directly in front of her.

3. She travels. All around her crib, every which way, every night, no exceptions. She seems to be locomoting mostly by rolling, but is so subtle, it's hard to catch. She's lifted her whole tummy only once that I could see, as a precursor to crawling. She does a lot of moaning crab imitations, with hands and legs up in the air wiggling, while on her belly, as if to say, I know this will work eventually, but I don't know how to do it!

4. She socializes. I thought baby Jake was all charisma, but Abby is in another league entirely. She beams at every new face and waits for a response. She reacts to all smiles as well. This week she flirted shamelessly with our neighbor's 3 month baby boy Drake, and reached out to hold his hand as they sat next to each other in the couch. She laughs when Jake's face gets within 6 inches of hers and reaches out to fondle his hair. If Jake says "Hi Abby" and looks her right in the eyes, she gives him a goofy grin every time. She touches my face when eating and likes me to suck on her fingers several times a day. And she has a very sweet smile she reserves just for Daddy - all he has to do is look at her from behind me and I can tell he's there.

I went back to Jake's site to see him at this age.

Notice the same mat and many of the same toys! But I was surprised to see his weight and height too. He was 20 pounds and 26 inches. Abby has a dr's appt soon but I estimate she's about 22 pounds still and 27 inches or more. I do have big babies!

Anyway, she's a thriving, jolly 6 month old and we all adore her!