6 Months Today!

Kate, who's 6 months old today, is a lot closer to her Mommy than her Daddy, for reasons too numerous to mention. Whereas Emily has been home for Kate's entire life (plus, she's her Mommy!), I spent her first few months swamped with football-season related work, and the past six weeks working in an office at my current temp assignment. Some progress in getting to know her was made during the six weeks between the two, but still -- she's Mommy's girl. The fact that about 95 percent of her sleeping still comes through nursing, and that she doesn't particularly care for pacifiers or bottles -- and totally rejects formula -- just increases Mommy's importance in Kate's world. And hey, it's only fair: Jack was certainly Daddy's boy for most of his first two years, when he saw a lot more of me than Mommy.

Anyway, the time I spent with Kate in January at least ensures that she no longer blinks in confusion when I pick her up after naps and such, or looks at me with fear (or at least concern) in the mornings. Indeed, she seems happy to see me most of the time, even eager to be held by Daddy every now and again, or turning to my voice; that kind of thing.

The best three elements of our relationship:

1. Diaper changing: I think I've mentioned this before, but whenever I'm having a hard time making Kate smile, changing her diaper seems to work. It's almost as if she gets a kick out of Daddy struggling to fasten the thing while she stiffens her legs, or puts her foot in her mouth, or maybe she just likes the air down there, who knows. Anyway, I tend to get lots of big smiles from this, even before I play This Little Piggy with her toes and peekabo and stuff. Although that helps too.

2. Morning: When she wakes up from naps, or in the middle of the night (not that I get many of those, naturally, since she wants nothing to do with me at those times), she's often hungry, or confused, and thus she cries and wails. A lot. But in the mornings, she's generally in a good mood. Much better than me, really. I open the door and look over the side of the crib, and her face lights up, she does a big grin, and sometimes she laughs or gurgles. Her little hands in fists, little feet stretching out her sleeper, she almost looks like she's running in place, pumping her arms and legs a little. As I said, I usually wake up in a cranky mood ("GGrrrr....woke up too much...Jack came in too often...stayed up too late....COFFEEEEEE!"), but after seeing her I don't stay that way for long.

3. Making her laugh: This happens at a variety of times, but usually when she's being held by Mommy. I look up and suddenly see her glancing my way with some minor interest, perhaps a little smile, as though waiting for me to do something. So, I play peekabo0. Or (usually) I just make faces. Big grins, stick out my tongue at her, whatever. And sometimes, this is hilarious to her. And so I make more faces, and then we're off and running.

Six months old today!