Dear Juney Patooney,

You have changed a lot and are reaching all kinds of milestones. Mama loves to see how you change all the time and each new day brings a new expression. Everyone said we would be amazed at how fast you grow up and I can hardly believe you are already 1/2 a year old. I try to savor each little smile and your silly faces, and capture what I can, but can’t help but feel a twinge of sad thinking about 6 months with you are already passed. I certainly am hoping you start to sleep longer, but each morning when you grab my face or roll over and bite at my nose I forget about waking up every two hours…you have a little magic my baby girl…a magic that makes me feel like I’m on a fantastic roller coaster.

• Grab a lot more, especially our faces and mama’s earrings.
• Have absolutely no interest in rolling over, nor spending any time on your belly.
• Sit up and play with whatever we hand you – and love paper.
• Went through a stint with teething and still have more to break through (still just the bottom two tic tacs).
• Smile when we Skype with Grandparents.
• Went swimming and got your head dunked underwater for the first time (kinda scary for us).
• Just barely started solid foods and aren’t that interested.
• Made a face when you were eating baby oatmeal that daddy said looked exactly like me. (I’m pretty sure it was a beauty.)
• Watch Jaguar with great interest and try to grab and pet her.
• Are sleeping in very irregular chunks of time, the most so far is 5 hours, and haven’t come close since that one glorious night.
• Plan to attend your first of many Derby parties complete with dress and hat.
• Love to play the “daddy pick this up” game from your chair. (sucker.)
• Had your first ear infection and scared mama with a 103 temp. (She learned later that 103 really doesn’t mean too much.)
• Are not a fan of putting stuff over your head when getting dressed, but we sure have some adorable hand-me-downs!
• Consistently pee on the changing table every morning…gallons.
• Are still breastfeeding, and love it. Mama sometimes has her challenges with it, but we’re going to stick it out as long as we can.
• Either love or hate your nighttime routine. There is no in-between.
• Giggle in anticipation of daddy’s “wee wee wee” part of the “This Little Piggy.”
• Still love it when mama and daddy sing and dance, which we make up a new song about you every morning.
• Seem to cry a bit more for mama, but we get it.
• Are now the proud daughter of a Whole Foods Market SEAFOOD SPECIALIST!!!!  (Yep, Geoff got a promotion today and beat out some very tough competition. The person on the interview panel said that he sat in on 40+ interviews and Geoff was definitely one of the top 5 best!)

A friend of mama’s told her this week that they were going to have a baby due one day after you this year.  Hearing the news is definitely different now that you are in my life. I told him that it will change who he is at his core; not good and not bad, but that he certainly has a bigger stake in the world. You have certainly changed mama’s life, giving her a completely different challenge and perspective and have touched and opened her heart in ways she can’t describe – and you’re only 6 months old!

One Juney all smiles and one crumpled 6 Month sign