6 months-Half a Year!!

6 Months:
16 lbs, 3 oz (25th percentile)
25 1/4 inches (5th percentile)
Head circumference 16.5 inches (12th percentile)

Dear Eli,
I can't believe you're 6 months old! I cannot believe you've graced our lives for half of a year. With each month that passes we get to know each other better and my love for you continues to grow and develop.
We had a couple of big events this past month: on June 24th, you were baptized! Your grandpa Dennis came down and did the baptism, and we got to share the day with both of our families as you were baptized at Centenary United Methodist Church in Beatrice. It was so amazing to be reminded of the grace and love that God has shown at work in your life already-and it was incredible to witness to that grace and love alongside everyone who celebrated with us. Later that day (which was your dad and I's 6th anniversary!) we left you with Grandma and Grandpa Bailey for our first night away from each other so that your dad and I could celebrate our anniversary. We all did really well and made it!
This month was also about a battle of the wills. Right before our planned night away from you, you decided you didn't want to take bottles anymore (a complete 180 from a few months ago when you didn't want your mamma at all!). So we spent a day waiting you out and eventually you took the bottle again-and we've had no problems since! Your dad and I also decided to work harder on your nighttime schedule since you were still getting up to eat every 3-4 hours. After a few hard nights with lots of tears (from you and me!) you now sleep 8-9 hours and then wake up for one feeding a night-and I am SO GRATEFUL! we are both doing better with more sleep!
You also had a big milestone, as you had your first taste of solid food! I am so proud and grateful that your only food source up until now has been what I could provide-your mother's milk. But it was time to start teaching you how to eat solid foods-you were so interested in what we were eating and I just felt like it was time! So, when you were 5.5 months old, we gave you rice cereal for the first time (mixed with Momma's milk). You've also tried avocado, which you really love! You seem to really enjoy being a big boy at the table and love to "help" me feed you!
You are so fun right now. You are so ticklish and love to laugh. You don't roll over yet but you rock from side to side and go to sleep on your side. You love being held up so that you can stand up, and you sit up with help. You take in the world around you-always taking some time to "inspect" people but warming up to them quickly. Your hair is coming back in, and it's lighter than when you were first born. Everyone says you look just like your daddy and I see it more and more every day. We have a small pool for you in the backyard and you love to splash in it, just like at bathtime. You read books with dad almost every night before bed and love to look at the pictures. You've discovered your feet and love to grab them-you try to put them in your mouth but you need to become just a little more flexible! You say "daddadadada" and make lots of other sounds (vooo, grunts, shrieks). I know this next month will bring even more development, and I can't wait to see it! We love you so much, little man-thanks for bringing so much joy to our lives!!

Can I eat these yet??

Just chillin-cause I'm 6 months old!