Six Month Well Baby

Both babies can sit unassisted and they can both roll belly to back and back to belly. Reese can roll across the room. Ryan just learned how to roll to his belly and is still in the turtle phase (where he rolls, forgets how to roll back over again and then flails his arms and legs while crying). Reese went through this phase for nearly 5 weeks, so I’m really looking forward to reliving it with Ryan right now. Sigh. 

As of this week Reese has figured out how to pull up to her knees and crawl backward. At first I thought she did it by mistake. Until she did it again 30 minutes later. I’m thinking she’ll be fully mobile shortly, but she tends to make small steps toward a milestone and then stop. So who knows how this will go?

Ryan has two bottom teeth, and according to our pediatrician the two top teeth are pushing against the skin right now. Reese is working on her two bottom teeth, and judging by her fussiness and the swelling in her mouth, I’d say we’re a week or two away from seeing them cut.

Both babies can move objects between their hands and Reese is particularly good at using just two fingers to manipulate toys and objects. Both babies have found their feet (and lately have taken to chewing on their toes, which is both cute and disgusting at the same time). Ryan will turn his head when he hears his name. Reese turns toward you when you talk, but I think the poor kid has so many nicknames that she still doesn’t know her real name is Reese 🙂

Reese is all about pulling up to her knees and walking. If I put her feet on mine and hold her hands we can walk all around the house together. She is very good at walking with her green dinosaur too. Her new favorite thing is the jumperoo. Now every toy she stands in or sits on she tries to jump. It’s quite comical. Ryan recently started putting weight down on his legs and will stand for brief periods of time. But he’s much happier to sit and even happier to lie. 

Reese is still my auditory and tactile baby. She loves textures and music. We spend many afternoons listening to the 80’s and jumping. Ryan is still my visual baby – he loves books and toys with bright colors. He is my more observant child. He studies your face, the room, a toy. He’s constantly trying to figure out how things work. Reese is the more independent child and will get lost playing with a toy and chatting away by herself. She is very focused on one thing, whereas Ryan is taking in everything.

Reese is very social and very curious. She will touch your face and constantly reach for whatever is in front of her. Ryan is more bashful and cautious. He smiles and hides his face when he’s in new situations. He’s slow to explore new objects and scenes. Both babies will hug you if you hug them. Ryan is particularly cuddly. Reese is too interested in moving about now to be held for too long. But if you are holding her, she will grab your face and kiss you. Granted it’s an open mouth half kiss/half lick, but I’ll take it. Ryan likes to be kissed, especially on the tip of his nose.

Both babies are very vocal and they will “converse” with one another. We also have gotten to the phase of sympathy crying. It’s very fun when one baby is in hysterics and the other one fake cries alongside his/her sibling (complete with fake coughs). If it wasn’t so loud and stressful it would almost be funny. Almost.

I have two good eaters and two good sleepers on my hands. Both have made their way through almost all of the stage one foods (with the exception of winter veggies like acorn/butternut squash and pumpkin). They love to eat and I love making their food. Mealtimes are really fun, and I’m very excited for the day when we can all sit down at the table as a family. Both babies sleep through the night. Ryan, when he wasn’t teething, could go 11 hours. Now he’s sleeping around 9 hours per night. Reese is my champion sleeper, she goes 11 hours every night, no problem. 

Six months is a lot of fun, they are high energy now and I am wiped at the end of the day. But their personalities are really showing through and we are just loving this stage.