VIII

dear hazel,

can you believe it, little one? six months. one half year. 182 days of hazel. 182 days to absolutely fall in love with you. your dad and i find ourselves saying “let’s go wake her up and play” when our days have finally come to an end and we’re hanging out with each other. it’s funny, because bedtime is still my favorite time of day (i love you, but i also love having time to relax in the evening with your dad) but we just love being with you so much that we have begun missing you!

you have made such a big shift this month that has left many of us muttering “she is just so much fun to be around now”. it’s true, hazel. you weren’t the most fun person to be around for the first few months. but now, you charm everyone with your constant singing (whether it be cooing or this high pitched, whisper screech thing you do), raspberry blowing, giggling and wide gummy smiling. you are, simply, lovely.

you’ve learned so many new tricks this month, haze. the aforementioned singing is so fun. your dad really gets you going (it must be his scratchy beard) and elicits the loudest yells. gosh i love that. you’ve also (finally) rolled! still only belly to back, but you’re close to the other way. you jump around in your jumperoo like a pro and sometimes bounce back and forth like you’re dancing. your hand-eye coordination has also made major advancements this month with your newest trick happening in the past couple days: paci-into mouth. score. oh and my favorite of all these new things is that you’ve discovered your feet, which means that anytime you’re on your back you automatically grab them. happy baby, indeed.

another huge development this month?! FOOD! clearly you’re not missing meals. so far you’ve had carrots, sweet potatoes, avocado, squash, peas, prunes, green beans, apples, bananas, and pears. and you’ve rejected nothing. that should surprise no one.

speaking of size, you’re still at the tippy top of 6 month clothing. some 3-6 sizes still fit you, but barely and only if you have a disposable diaper on. you’re still in size 3 diapers. i have no idea how much you weigh (we find out tomorrow), but i’d guess at the high 18s. you’ve definitely grown in length this month, too. i can tell just by looking at you!

you were baptized a couple weeks ago, which was a special event to share with family. your grandma and grandpa premuda came to town, along with uncle (and god father) joel, aunt kristyn, hadley, connor and dawson. or, as we call them, the ohio premudas. i love seeing you with your cousins and can’t wait to see you running around with them this time next year.

you are the light of so many people’s lives, hazel. most of all, mine. i love you so much i feel i may burst at times. i even find myself, as gross as it sounds, sticking my nose in your neck and inhaling the deepest breaths of you. the combination of breast milk, mustela and usually spit up results in the most amazing mommy-high; i simply can’t get enough.

as you’ve continued to really find your voice this month i can’t help but hope that you always retain that loud, boisterous, honest, sweet little voice. i hope you use it to stand up for yourself and others, to voice the strong love you share in others, and to express all that is you. every inch of perfect, spit-up smelling, you.

i love you, butter lump,

mom

 

and some shots from our baptism weekend.