Dear Ian, Two days ago you turned six months old and this is my favorite age! I'm sure I may say that next month and for many more months in the future, but so far these last few weeks have been awesome.

We've been struggling with your eyes not draining very well since you were just a few weeks old. The pediatrician explained that your drainage ducts just had to grow bigger to not get clogged so easily. Seems simple enough, but he didn't have to deal with the zombie eyes every morning or you waking up in distress because your eyelashes were sealed shut. The ladies at day care were very concerned that you had an infection or allergies and asked about it over and over. So I'm happy to say that all it took was one business trip away from you and I came home to a clear-eyed handsome boy!

Speaking of that business trip, this month brought our first night apart. You have literally slept tangled up with me for every night of your life so far except for April 14th. But due to some work schedules we couldn't avoid, your Daddy had to be in Texas while your Mommy was in Connecticut and you had to hold down the fort in Virginia. Your Nana and Granddad stepped up to have a sleep over with you and it worked out really well. While I missed you dearly and hoped you weren't wearing out your grandparents, I never had to worry if you were safe. I count myself so lucky to have so many people I can trust to take good care of you. Everyone survived the night of us being apart and we went right back to sleeping in one giant nest of arms and legs and diaper (and kitties). It's something I cherish every night that no matter what kind of day we've all had, we're all together as a family for bedtime. Including the world's busiest kitties.

This month heralded the beginning of horseplay. You are not so fragile like you once were. It's hard to even remember the care we used to give for keeping your head attached to your body as we now spend our time hanging you upside down and shaking you and generally doing our damnedest to separate your body parts from your torso. Sometimes I'm convinced we may succeed when we pull you up by the armpits and I hear every vertebra crack in a row. I'll gasp in alarm, expecting a yelp from you but you just look at me like, "what? you can't do that?" Babies are made of rubber.

We went to the doctor for your check up yesterday. You are 2 ounces shy of 20 pounds and 28 1/8" long, putting you squarely in the 95th percentile for height and 85th for weight. This again is no real surprise to us given our height, but it's nice to have some stats to back that up. The doctor said you are right on schedule for all your development and then asked, "and he's doing well with solid foods?" I looked at her blankly and told her we hadn't given you any food yet (well, that one piece of toast you mushed around doesn't really count since nothing made it to your belly versus the floor). So she gave us all these guidelines on what to feed you and when. I nodded my head politely for all of it but we still plan on just following your cues. You'll let us know when you're ready for food.

That's the fascinating thing is you're doing your best to communicate with us. We have babbling little conversations (that involve a lot of drool) and you are so much more involved in what we're doing.

So many things are like a switch was flipped. You were sorta sitting up for a while but "lacked yaw control" as your father says. Then all of a sudden I walked into day care last week and you were just hanging out on the carpet like a real live big kid, playing with toys and giggling. This sitting up milestone is huge! You just look like a totally different kid. I came downstairs this morning and Daddy had set you in the crib while he went to put the dogs out. I came around the corner and you were just chilling out, playing with a little mirror like you were quality control at the toy factory. It took my breath away. So I scooped you up and you giggled and chewed on your foot while I attempted to put a fresh diaper on you around that foot and we all headed out for breakfast.

It's so fun just to hang out with you!

Love, Mama