Letter to a Six Month Old

Dear Ameli

I can’t believe you’re six months old today.

You’re asleep here next to me, and I look down over your long little body and my breath quickens as I try to take it all in. I can still see you, a tiny little curled up figure, barely bigger than my two hands lying in the same position this moment six months ago.

I look back on that day and I remember it with awe. A giddy warmth, yet at the same time soothing high, comes over me and I feel a rush of emotion. I feel so much love. I never knew it could be like this. I used to lie in bed and try to imagine how much I would love you, but I never came close.

You’ve had such a busy month. You have become so mobile, its exhausting keeping up with you. You flip around like a pancake and you crawl almost perfectly now. You don’t go far or long before flipping over again though. As though you might be missing something above you.

You’re constantly trying to stand up too. Pulling yourself up on things. I need to buy a stair gate.

You’ve been talking to us a lot. Da-da-da-da is your favourite. You call us with ya-ya-ya-ya too.

You’ve started eating this week. We tried some baby rice and you wanted more and more. We’re doing something called Baby Led weaning though, so you’ve eaten a courgette, a carrot, a green bean, two bananas and sucked the colour right out of a piece of chicken.

For some reason you’re not handling sleeping too well. You’ve never had trouble going down, but recently you scream blue murder whether its nap time or sleep time. It’s driving us a little crazy, but we just hold on to you and try to soothe you as best we can. I think it may have to do with the clock changes though.

Your Oupa and Nana and Aunty Desh love watching you on Skype, and you really engage so well with them. I’m always so proud of you when you smile at them or even laugh. It’s pretty amazing. You are definitely growing up in a different world to the one Daddy and I grew up in.

Well, Baby Girl, it’s Easter Sunday and I need to go and make some lunch. I just want to thank you for gracing us with your beautiful presence. Thank you for being our baby, our daughter and for the endless blessings and joy you give us.

Love you madly,

Mommy