Nathan at 6 months

Today, Nathan is a half a year old.  It's hard to believe I gave birth to him that long ago.  The time has flown by, and I have enjoyed every minute of it.  I have tried to savor every day and every stage that Nathan has gone through, but it's so hard to remember what it was like having a newborn. 

I will try to highlight Nathan's milestones and give you a glimpse at our life from the last six months.

• At 2 1/2 months, Nathan rolled from tummy to back for the first time.  He hated being on his tummy, so after he discovered how to roll over, he simply wouldn't stay that way.  In July, he began reaching for toys behind him causing him to flip onto his tummy.  At the beginning of August, he started rolling everywhere and then picked up the army crawl pretty quickly.  
• Last Thursday while I was nursing him, he pulled off, looked up at me, and said "Ma-ma."  It was really sweet.  Since then he has been saying ma-ma and ba-ba quite a bit.
• When Nathan first learned to smile, he would do it hesitantly.  He seemed really serious, and still does much of the time.  Now, though, he smiles every time someone smiles at him (except for his aunt's boyfriend, Silas, who Nathan seems really suspicious of).  If it's someone he knows really well, he will also kick his legs excitedly while he smiles.
• He lunges and grabs at everything when you hold him.
• We started elimination communication when he was four months.  He outgrew the "in-arms" position for using the potty (too heavy for me to hold him for very long) a couple weeks ago, so we are using the Baby Bjorn Little Potty.  He poops in the potty probably 90 percent of the time.
• He is still exclusively breastfed. 
• For his first few months, he would go to bed between 8 and 9, but the last couple of months he began waking up between 6 and 6:30 which pushed back his bedtime to between 6 and 7.
• He takes three naps a day usually, two shorter ones in the morning and a long afternoon nap.  When we are out, he sleeps great in the ERGO or mei tai, which has been very helpful when we are out running errands or at church.  
• He loves walking around in his walker and jumping in the jumper (or on your lap).
• He weighed 7 lb. 13 oz. at birth.  I estimate he now weighs 17 pounds, but we'll find out exactly how much Tuesday at the doctor.

Here is our family portrait the day after he was born and yesterday before USC's first football game of the season:

Our life has changed so much in the last six months, and it has been incredible to see how much joy a child can bring into your life and the lives of grandparents, great-grandparents, and friends.  The last year has been very trying in so many other ways, but Nathan has been an incredible blessing in the midst of difficult times.  Praise God from whom all blessings flow!