Norah Jane @ 6 months

Dear Norah,

 You've made it through your first half of a year. Yay you!

Her first time sitting herself up....How did I get here? What just happened?

You've really started to make your way around. As of about a week ago, you can get into a sit by yourself and stay there without tumbling (you learned to get there before you learned how not to tumble so it was a rough few days but you're past that now).

That does not look comfortable but you did it to yourself. 

You can crawl forward 2-3 hands then you give up and just lunge forward. And if something is farther away than that, you just don't even try. So you can crawl*, you just don't know it yet. (Ahh, my baby is only 6 months old and has self esteem issues. I'm a parenting failure. Just kidding :-) You're a pro at going backwards though, both scooting and real arm and arm crawling. So the floor is getting cleaned much more than normal and I'm trying to help your big brother and sister keep their stuff of the ground. You've already ruined a few drawings with your drool so I'm sure they'll start learning. So far they haven't gotten mad at you for it which confirms my theory - you pretty much have everyone wrapped around your finger.

Happiest while being pushed around? Someone is happy to oblige. Although be careful what you request, it might be a bumpy ride if Jonah volunteers. 

As soon as they hear you start to make noise in the morning, they rush in. "It's me Norah! Your favorite brother!" and "Lucy's here, can you smile for your favorite sister?!" And you always do smile for them. I'm so glad you don't wake up noisy - sometimes we trick them into thinking your asleep for the first 15 minutes of the day so they stay in their beds talking to each other and let us ease into the day. It's our little secret.

We had your well baby back on the 5th but you were already 16 lbs, 3 oz and 26 inches long. I don't remember the head size but everything was 60-80% so your pretty well proportioned.

Learning the fine art of photobombing. 

You've started really sleeping through the night, as in 8-10hrs. It's glorious! None of my other babies have done that as babies at all. But I still get my snuggles because you tend to waken right about the time daddy goes to work so we nurse and sleep another couple hours in my bed. Best of both worlds! It know it may not last but can I just ask one thing - pretty pretty please will you keep sleeping?

In addition to loving sleep and your siblings, you love the swing. I only put you in it when I need you off the floor but you love it still. Especially when the big kids stand in front of it and make faces or rush at you. Really any face to face time is a hit with you. Its one of the only ways to make you laugh.  We've even tried the swing at the park and that was laugh inducing too. Generally you're pretty quiet. I worry about that a little (okay, a lot) but I'm hoping its because you're just mellow and relaxed. You're also a people lover. You don't mind being held by almost anyone and love to sit and watch people. I'm wondering if our family is finally gonna have an extrovert in it? I can't wait to find out!

*6 months and 1 day began to really crawl for a purpose. Lucy and I were calling and coaxing her to us and she just looked at us like, not gonna happen people. We gave up and a minute later, Lucy dropped a paper she was drawing and Norah was up and on her way to it in a second. Mom - none. Paper eating - 1. The kid's enthusiasm for this development is waning by the minute as they learn that no floor space is safe from the Nor-Nor monster and her drool.