six months.

Bennett turned six months old on January 11.

say what???

January 11 was also my 29th birthday. Yes, it's true, I'm getting older too!

To celebrate the momentous occasion, we took pictures together in the bathroom mirror.

I am wearing a shirt that I returned to Forever21 the very next day, as it did not properly hide the squishy tummy roll that I still have from when I had a fourth baby... six months ago. One would think after six months it would be gone. But no, my tummy roll turned six months old too.

However, I did not come here to talk to you about my squishy tummy or the fact that I don't exercise like I should. I came here to talk about my boy, this sweet six-month-old of mine.

I was putting off writing this post because I kept meaning to get around to taking actual six-month pictures of him. You know, like with a real camera instead of my phone.
But that just wasn't happening.
And then I realized that perhaps it's perfect that his six-month post be populated only with phone pictures, because it speaks so well to how our life is right now: messy and imperfect with no time for a lot of things, but so incredibly full of amazing everyday moments and memories that sometimes those other things just don't even matter.
I want to blog about my son at six months and share those everyday moments, the way I get to see him each day... because he is growing and changing so quickly, as most babies do, and this age delights me for so many different reasons.

 

He sits up like a little pro now, and only falls over when he gets just a little too excited about something.

 

He is a wild-child, always into something, always playing and busy, bursting at the seams with energy and excitement and enthusiasm. In fact, when he's on the floor, it's very tricky to get a picture of him that isn't blurry. He's simply always moving, whether sitting up and banging wildly on whatever toy is near him, or on the floor using his army crawl that he has perfected. Soon I am sure he'll be a full-fledged crawler, since I see him up on his hands and knees rocking back and forth, but until then he manages to be quite the speedy little dude anyway. And he's already discovered the delights of the dog's water dish. oh boy.

 

Not too long ago I bought an orange rug to keep in front of our sliding glass door leading outside... and for some reason it has become his favorite place to play and hang out. I always see him headed for it once he's free on the floor, and he looks out the glass and rubs his dimpled little hands over the fuzzy patterns beneath him.

 

 

We've introduced solid foods on a grander scale now, and he loves them. When he eats, he is so eager and anxious for the next bite that he always reminds me of a little bird with his mouth open, just waiting for the food to come. And then he says "mmm" and happily bangs on his bumbo. Mealtimes are a happy, albeit messy, time of the day.

He continues to be the delight and source of entertainment for his loving big sisters, and wants to be right in the thick of things, always talked to and played with. We went to the park together a week or so ago, and Emma and Annabelle and Rosalie took turns pushing him in a swing for the first time. Smiles and giggles all around!

Of course, all this activity and play does actually make him tired, and I am incredibly thankful for the fact that he's started taking longer naps... usually at least one long-ish one, and sometimes two if it's a good napping day. And he's also finally just now started sleeping through the night again (the good Lord above be praised) after some very long months of him waking up consistently at 2, 3, or 4 in the morning. I cannot stress enough how happy this makes me. Honestly, I don't think I even realized just how tired I was until I got my first full night of sleep! Sleep is wonderful. I'm so very glad this boy is starting to realize that (even though he often fights it for all he is worth.)

 

He really is unbearably sweet and adorable when he sleeps. From the moment when he gets tired and starts to pull his blankie over his head and burrow into it, to when he is fast asleep and his cheeks are round and soft and velvet and his lips are squishydelicious and his chubby hands are rested and still, there is just something about him that I can't resist. Perhaps it's because when he is asleep I see more of the tiny baby in him, rather than the ever-growing little boy.

Whether he is awake or asleep, I can always recognize the treasure he is. He's a handful, he's a challenge, he takes up my days and sometimes my nights and leaves me with hardly a moment to spare.

And he brings more joy than words can say.

I am so grateful for my wee lad, so glad that God gave Jeremy and me this amazing son.

 

Happy six months, mister Bennett, you are one very beloved boy!