6 months old

6 months old...It seems so strange that Ryan is 6 months old. Or maybe the strange thing is that he was ever a newborn. Hasn't he always been 6 months old? Was he really ever that tiny newborn in the pictures? Feels like a dream.

Ryan at 6 months:

- Pretty happy baby
- Two bottom teeth coming in, which was the cause for brief (well if 1/2 hour is brief) meltdowns for a few days there (you can see the teeth in the second picture)

- Quite photogenic
- Loves rice cereal, although he doesn't always eat much of it

- Loves to laugh
- Is ticklish
- Loves books and when we read to him
- If he had it his way would go to bed at 6:00 and would always sleep next to someone
- A few weeks ago he learned how to roll from his back to his tummy & now he is all over the place - his curiosity has really taken off as he has discovered walls, the little spring thingamabobs that protect the door from hitting the wall (just figured that out today), loves to kick the closet doors (today as well), and has even managed to roll under the bed, but couldn't get back out without help

- Loves his daddy & play time with dad. He loves when daddy sings songs to him - especially ones with actions
- Loves the piano
- Is mesmerized by the sound of the shower/tub
- Is Mr. Tranquilo outside on walks, or in his stroller at all for that matter

- Still loves bath time and is learning how to splash just a little more.
- Still snuggles with blanket, holding it by his face with one hand, while sucking thumb of opposite hand
- Has found all kinds of fun new ways to sleep in his crib
(Look hard and you just might see him rolled up in the corner)
- Doesn't suck his pacifier, but loves to play with it and chew on it
- Still loves car rides
- Still loves the grocery store...so many new sights and sounds! He is so much fun at the grocery store! He is usually really happy until he gets hungry. In fact he will look at me and talk and talk and talk with all of his little coos and "ahs"s and he will get super giggly - right before he needs to eat
- Still wants to nurse every 2 hours, I'm really really trying to encourage more cereal and stretch it out to 3 hours - even though I do love the bonding time nursing him
- Still loves his socks, seems that every time I turn around he has one in his mouth

- Loves to watch us eat dinner...especially now that he can sit in his high chair and eat cereal while we are eating
- Loves his exersaucer (and mom loves the occasional break to hurry and do something with both hands), doesn't take him long to pull out all of the toys in an effort to chew them, of course
- Interested in faces and often reaches up to touch your cheeks and nose when holding him
- Sucks on his toes (yes, this will be a problem if he keeps it up when he is walking and his feet are actually dirty)

- Quietly watches as we pray