Letter to Camille: Six Months

Can you believe it, sweet girl? You're six months old today! Half a year! I can hardly believe that six months ago, you were just 2 hours old. Now, you're rolling over, sitting up, and making me laugh every day. And your hugs - oh your hugs! I'm melting just thinking of how sweet it is when you wrap your little arms around me and bury your head in my neck.

One of your favorite things to do in the whole wide world is bite noses. But what makes me laugh so hard is how calculated and deliberate your attack is. If I'm sitting on the couch and you're standing in my lap, you'll suddenly get this excited look on your face. You'll reach forward and tightly grab the hair on each side of my head so I can't escape or dodge your advances. You open your mouth really wide, and slowly lean forward. Carefully. With great purpose. Then you clamp down on my nose. I laugh and laugh, and I'll try to turn my head but you'll just start sucking on my eyes, my forehead, my cheeks, whatever is in the path. When I finally pry your hands loose from my hair, my face is completely covered in baby slobber. And I love it. I love it so much that when we're apart, I find myself thinking about it and looking forward to seeing you again so you can nibble my nose. Oh how you make me smile. I'm not surprised you like to bite faces though, because all I do when I hold you is kiss your face and head. So it's only natural you think faces are for chewing.

You like to get your Daddy's face too, almost as much as you like yanking off his glasses.

This has been a wonderful month. Every night, you, your Daddy and I go up into your room and play, and you're so much fun. You love music, and enjoy watching Daddy play guitar.

He lets you play sometimes too, and you already do very well plucking the strings. Who knows if you'll enjoy playing music when you get older, but I know you enjoy the time spent with your Daddy right now.

You also like looking at yourself in the mirror - and who could blame you? Every morning, after I get you dressed, I'll turn you around and let you sit in front of the mirror by your changing table. You always break into the biggest open-mouthed smile.

Your Daddy was trying to take a picture of this yesterday, but you were distracted and wanted to look at him and the camera instead. I understand. He is a very handsome man!

This has also been a hard month. You started going to daycare 3 weeks ago, and it hasn't been easy. You were so used to being at home where it's quiet with mom or dad always hovering over you. Daycare is rowdy and loud and sometimes you have to wait your turn, and it will take some time for you to get used to it. I think you do have some fun while you're there, but every morning when I walk out the door and leave you in that daycare room, my heart aches.

On a more fun note, you've been on TV several times this month. Two stations did stories about car seat safety, and they needed video of a baby and a carseat - so I volunteered you! Yesterday, the photographer was getting a shot of me putting you in your seat, and you were sitting very patiently as I buckled the straps. As he zoomed in for a close up on your face, you opened your cute little mouth and spit up. All down your chin and on the buckles I'd just fastened.

I started laughing and the photographer started laughing, so you did too. There you were, with spit up on your face and clothes, laughing and kicking because you were so proud of yourself. We cleaned you up and did a second take. You were a natural little starlet, and the highlight of the story.

Camille, thank you for such a fun month. Each one of your smiles makes me feel like a million bucks, and you share them so often with me that I must be the richest mama on the planet. I love you so much, sweet peanut.