184 Days, Six Months, 1/2 of a Year...

My precious son,

Today you are six months old!

(Really, you are six months and six days old on the day I type this, but blogger allows you to back-date posts, which is very helpful for busy mommies, so we'll just pretend...)

I can't believe that a half of one year has already passed since you took your first breath on this earth, and six months have passed since you were placed in our arms and joyously welcomed into our home! What an amazing six months these have been. They are arguably the best of my life so far. You are such a gift, son!

In the big picture of life six months is but a blink of an eye, but these past 184 days have been full of events and milestones because you continue to grow and develop and blossom each and every day! You are getting so big! At your doctor's appointment last week you weighed in at 18 lbs 13 oz (75th percentile) and were a whopping 28 1/2 inches long (97th percentile)! I don't remember the exact measurement of your head, but no surprise that you were in the 100th percentile there...you have lots of smarts and brains in there, no doubt! :)

Your latest milestones include sitting up unassisted for longer and longer periods of time. You get better at this with each passing day. I'm guessing you will be an "official" sitter in the next couple of weeks for sure. You are also rolling everywhere now! If I lay you down on your activity mat and walk away for no more than a minute, you are no doubt several feet away from your mat and turned the opposite direction! Although you like grabbing at the toys that hang from your activity mat with both your hands and feet, you much prefer to sit and play in your activity center now. You love the lights and music and spinning the toys with your hands. You can walk/swivel yourself (in the infant chair) all the way around the activity table now. And, of course, you still love to make noises. In fact, I think you've gotten louder in the last month or so! But the exciting part is that your noises are changing now and are starting to become syllables (like "da" and "ga" and "hey" all strung together in some combination) instead of coos. The other day you had so much fun mimicking the syllables that mommy and daddy were saying! Another one of my favorites about this stage is that we can carry you around on our hip now. I know this may seem strange, especially since most people love to cradle new babies in their arms. And I enjoyed snuggling with you as an infant too, but I love that when I hold you on my hip, you latch onto me tight with your legs/feet and that you hold my arm or grab tight to my shirt sleeve. This is one of the first ways you've clung to me willingly I guess, so it just melts my heart everytime!

We had two wonderful surprises/gifts on your 1/2 birthday that we will remember always! The first, you cut your first tooth on your six month birthday day! It is one of your front teeth on your bottom gum. And since we already know that this post is a few days late, I may as well tell you and whoever else reading this that you have cut your second tooth now too! It's right next to the first one, and it looks as though the two top front teeth are not far behind!!


Our second surprise is perhaps the best. We had another status hearing for your adoption on your birthday, and daddy went to represent our family at court. At this hearing the judge set a very important trial date - the termination hearing - for November 5th! Mommy will explain what this means when you get older, but this is a major step forward in your adoption and one that came quite a bit earlier than expected! God is definitely at work, son, and we continue to trust in His perfect plan for you and our family.

Daddy and I love you more than words can ever express. You have brought so much joy and laughter into our lives and into our home. For a long time your room was empty and there was a void in our hearts that ached deeper than any physical pain. But God always sees to completion the work He begins. And even on the loneliest and emptiest of days, God was at work knitting our family together. Even when we could not see, He was creating. And as with everything imprinted with the Lord's craftsmanship - it was good. Very, very good.

One of the things I love most about our God is that He does not look at outward appearances. Not when He looks at an individual person, and not when He looks at a family. He doesn't define a family by biology or genetics. He cares only for the heart. And the heart of this family, our family, beats so strong and so full. We believe with every ounce of our being that God has amazing plans for you. He has designed you for a great purpose that He will fulfill in His perfect timing. And as your mommy and daddy, it is a great gift and honor to be there to support you, encourage you, challenge you, and love you every single day He gives us.

That is our heart, Nate. And we could not be more blessed to share it with YOU!

Happy 6 month birthday, son!

Now slow down and stop growing up so darn fast, you hear?

Love, love, love you,
Mommy

(P.S. I'll get pictures of those teeth up here soon. I haven't quite mastered how to download pics from our new camera...Mr. Wonderful will come to the rescue very soon I promise.)