life in numbers: half-birthdays

Okay y’all, I’m starting to get a little…sentimental.

I’ve always revered valued, half-birthdays- and yesterday Coop’s came and went without too much fan-fare. Today, however, I woke up and said to myself “Cooper is 6 months old! Coop is SIX.months.old. I have a SIX. MONTH.old.” It hit me. To me six-months means for SURE I don’t have a newborn anymore, it means he is HALF-WAY to being ONE YEAR OLD, which means I am soon going to have a ONE YEAR OLD!!! It’s like crossing the “baby” bridge and now being on the other side. I should probably start planning his first birthday party.

[caption id="attachment_424" align="aligncenter" width="300"] Someone is sitting and no longer needs a chair to hold his head up![/caption]

I remember so well the feeling of wanting Cooper, finding out we were going to have a baby, and than those special moments in between of seeing his heartbeat for the first time, seeing him kick in my belly (and the kid kicked ALL the time), and so forth.

[caption id="attachment_428" align="aligncenter" width="300"] Announcing Coop's arrival last year.[/caption]

All the while wondering, “I wonder what he’s going to look like? What will he be like?” It was such a special, 'no-idea-what-to-expect' time. I get so excited when I talk to friends going through these new exciting moments. It’s terrifying, thrilling and a time full of hope.

[caption id="attachment_423" align="aligncenter" width="300"] Coop no longer sits in the bumbo to eat. [/caption]
Ah, six months. I would say this age is my favorite – but I say that every month. Each month that goes by I see a little more personality that is Cooper. At this age, his behavior is now pretty predictable, I feel like I know him more: what makes him happy, sad, scared, tired- it’s less of a guessing game than it was when he was a newborn. When he's awake he is laughing 50% of the time. When I change a dirty diaper he thinks its HYSTERICAL and has a deep belly laugh that is sort-of humiliating (I mean, dude, show a little respect to your mom here). He laughs when I say “come on Coop say it with me “MA-ma!” (like "HAH! I know what you’re trying to do here mom!"), he laughs when I put my nose under his chin...I mean it is so easy to make this kid LAUGH.



[caption id="attachment_426" align="aligncenter" width="300"] Bella joined the pics![/caption]

Coop is always moving and curious, and he is SWEET. Sweet and yes, sometimes challenging. He is my proudest moment(s) and my heart out-of-body. He is six.months.old.

When I woke up this morning and had my "oh s**t! I have a 6-month old" moment, I thought about where our little family has been and got excited to discover what's in store. I can’t wait to see Cooper live. So here, here! To the next.six.months - and enjoying every moment in between.

-L