Riley's Half Birthday

Riley's Half Birthday

6 Months

And just like that, we are halfway to one year with Riley.  I used to celebrate every week with her, then I lost count of weeks and began to celebrate months... and yes, calling her 'half of a year' old is a stretch, but it feels different to me.  And I think it is a mother's right to be a little ridiculous about milestones.

So much has happened in this last month, and one of the biggest milestones for us has been Riley's ability to sit on her own.  I kind of thought it would be a slow process, but it was literally overnight.  I set her down one morning and she was just sitting.  She now loves exploring her world from this position.  She can reach things better, use both hands to play with toys (and put them in her mouth), and I'm sure see everything differently.  She is also good at plunging towards something from her sitting position to her belly. However, she despises being set on her back now.  Diaper and clothing changes are a struggle and resemble wrestling an alligator (although I'm sure it will only get worse when she's mobile). It is pretty hilarious, when she is set down on her back she holds her head up like she's in the middle of doing a crunch.  You can tell it is uncomfortable, but she holds out as long a possible before she lays her head down.  

I reread my last entry on sleep, and it sounded a little dismal/desperate.  Sleep has improved immensely.  Sleep training wasn't this magic solution that fixed all problems in a few days, but life is much better for everyone.  The hours of bouncing, rocking and crying (on my end) before bed are a thing of the past.  As soon as our bedtime routine is finished, she stretches and reaches for her crib. This is strange to me - now she actually prefers to not be held and soothed by me because she is so good at doing it herself.  When I lay her down, she grabs her blankie and rolls onto her belly and slowly falls asleep. She does wake up a few times a night, and we have to let her cry.  Sometimes this lasts for a minute, and other times up to 40.  I still really struggle to hear her cry, but as I see her overall wellbeing improve with her sleep habits, I am encouraged that this is worth it. 

She wakes up VERY early though.  We are lucky if she sleeps until 5:30.  On the weekends, Charley and I have to tag team.  One of us will wake up with her until her first nap, and then we'll trade off on the second waking. It is a good system, but we still end up pretty tired. 

We have had to put sleep work on hold for the past week though because Riley has had a cold and has been teething.  I do cherish the opportunity to comfort and cuddle her now (I have missed it), but her needs are different.  She really does prefer her crib over me most of the time, which is pretty incredible.

Riley is the definition of a little girl - she is sugar with quite a bit of spice (I told Charley that girls are 'sugar and spice and everything nice, and boys are slugs and snails and puppy dog tails' and he didn't think it was very fair...)! She knows exactly what she wants and lets everyone know it.  And she seems to want pretty much everything (and when she gets it, even if it is your face, it goes straight into her mouth).  Charley and I really don't have to guess with her - it is very obvious that she wants to be picked up, or be set down, or needs a certain toy, or is hungry or tired...  For a six month old, her communication is very clear.

And yes, she is stubborn.  All things that I hoped she'd be (and I know I'll dread during her teenage years).  I didn't want her to get my passive and indecisive side - I was hoping she'd be assertive and sure of herself.  

She seems to be pretty fearless.  Very little frightens her.  Big dogs, loud buses, sirens, new places, strangers who seem scary to me, etc. don't startle her.  The only things that really freak her out are the vacuum, loud coughs and nose blowing.  

Eating has become an interesting challenge.  It really depends on her mood.  Half of the time I try and feed her she's so preoccupied with the spoon, bowl, or feeling of the food between her fingers (or in her eyes and up her nose) that she doesn't eat.  Any distraction, even the food itself, keeps her from eating.  Same goes with milk - unless she is in a dark, quiet room, she will NOT drink a drop.  There are two reliable things when it comes to eating - it will get into every single crevasse on her head, and every utensil will end up on the floor.  Funny though - she really enjoys drinking water from a regular cup - I don't know if it is the feeling of water on her lips, or if she really is just thirsty, but she LOVES it. 

Things really are incredible right now.  We have our evenings back (which means I get to cook and Charley and I get to talk again), Riley is thriving now that she is sleeping (she is all smiles and energy - I can't believe how tired she used to be), the weather is beautiful, and she finally gets to wear some of those adorable spring rompers (Charley's new nickname for her is Romper Doodle - goes great with the Yankee Doodle song). We are entering a six week stretch of nonstop weddings, travels and family get-togethers so things are going to be pretty hectic.  But we are looking forward to it all...  There is nothing better than some quality family time with this little munchkin - she is so much fun and our favorite!

Happy half birthday little Riley!