6 months old

Hannah Buckland
Age: 6 months
Weight: 6,2kg
Height: 64cm
Hair colour: Brown – getting a bit longer and going over my ears already.
Eye colour: Blue – with an occasional hint of brown starting.
Teeth: My two bottom ones are out.

Food: Breast milk mainly and I have just started solids. Mom had been putting it off for as long as possible but eventually I was just so interested in what everyone else was eating. They were having pumpkin soup that day, so Mom just gave me some from her bowl. I thought it was quite nice. The only problem was that it made my breath stink. So Mom cooked up a pumpkin just for me and I am enjoying that. I don’t spit my food out. I understand my older sisters did this for a while when they started eating. Mom says she probably started them too soon. But I’m big enough now and know exactly what to do. I have learnt that I am not to grab the bowl when Mom is feeding me (it makes it easier for Mom that way) and I am NOT allowed to spray my food out when I feel full (this makes it cleaner for Mom). It is enough for me to just not open my mouth for more. Mom says I am quite clever to have learned those things so quickly.

Milestones: I can roll over, but I don’t do it all that often yet. I still love doing my “tummy crunches” and Mom says I have really strong stomach neck and back muscles. They don’t put me in a sitting position much, so you can’t expect that from me yet. I know I will be able to sit on my own one day – there’s no rush (and my muscles are getting stronger all the time). Mom says that most babies my age don’t use the potty (and I do quite a lot every day) – so I suppose we are all different.

Favourite toys and activities:
I enjoy playing under my play gym a bit every day. There are interesting toys hanging there and they get changed often too. There are so many nice ones with beads that make a noise or crinkly material that makes a fun noise when I chew them. I do love my giraffe a lot – its ears are really good for sucking and chewing. I also like to just be in the same room as my Mom and sisters. I enjoy watching them and when I get board I look around and play with the toys that are around me. Ruth will often come and give me different toys and she gives me lots of kisses. I enjoy grabbing her jersey or even her hair (if she gets close enough), but I am also learning to be gentle. Ruth enjoys when I hold on to her. She always tells me what part of her I am touching.

I love bouncing. Mom or Dad will hold me up on their laps and I will bounce and bounce and bounce. They say some children have a thing called a “jolly jumper” but that I am using them for that. Apparently their arms get quite tiered but it is a lot of fun for me, so they don’t mind too much. I love swinging my arms up and down (from my head to my legs). It is nice to hear the sound of my hand as it hits my nappy. It is even more fun when I have a nice noisy toy, then it makes a noise every time I go up and down. I also enjoy watching people talk and make noises. I try and copy them and I am learning to move my tongue quite a bit. I enjoy what Dad calls “talking” and often Mom says it sounds like I am “singing”. It is fun to make noises and my family know that it is my way of talking and so they talk back to me which is great. Dad will say things like “Really, that sounds lovely, and then what did you do” or “Wow, that sounds exciting, tell me more”. And I love telling him more.

I love playing “peek-a-boo” especially with Mom. I will be looking at something and Mom will say “where is Hannah” or “where is Mommy” and as soon as I look at her she says “there you are” and we both laugh and have so much fun. I bath with Mom every night and sometimes I sit on her tummy and I play “peek-a-boo” with Daddy who is next to the bath. In the bath I love chewing on a dolphin bath toy that my Nana gave to Rachel when she was a baby. Ruth had it too and now it is mine. I am so thankful for all the toys my big sisters have given me. I am so very blessed.

I know all my family members well already. I especially love giving Dad big smiles when he comes home from work in the afternoon. But every time I get up from a nap I get to see my Mom and sisters and they always have nice smiles for me and I love smiling at them too. My sisters always say hello to me and so I spot them and give them big smiles back (that’s my way of saying hello for now). Dad and Mom say that they feel very very blessed with their three girls and that we are all gifts to them from God.

I look forward to telling you all that I have learnt in 6 more months.