6 Months

Today Layla is six months old. I wrote a letter to Mason on his six month birthday that I posted on his blog. Writing that inspired me to start Second Shift Mommy. I felt like I needed an outlet for all the things I was thinking and I had already made Tootsie Roll all about Mason and from Mason's point of view. I just looked back at that letter that I wrote.

Six months the first time is so different than six months the second (and last) time. With Mason I was so excited for him to learn new things and "grow up". This time it is bittersweet. I'll never hold a baby in the crook of my arm in the middle of the night again. I'll never get that first smile again. Or that first time when you realize that she actually knows who I am.

And she does everything faster than Mason did too. She is pretty much crawling and has been for about a month. She goes backward easily, just can't figure out the arms to go forward. She sits up on her own. She wants to stand so badly. She started to sleep through the night at about 9 weeks and now sleeps 12 hours a night. Her naps are still scattered. She loves to sit in her high chair at dinner time and has started eating solids three times a day. Still only cereal and vegetables though.

Layla's babyhood is very different from Mason's too. With Mason it was all about me and Tayler figuring out how to be parents. This time it is about figuring out how to be a family of four. And I have to say the best part of it is watching the beautiful relationship that is developing between a brother and sister.

Layla absolutely adores Mason. She smiles whenever he comes near her. She laughs when he tickles her. And she grabs for him when they are playing on the floor near each other. She stares at him with absolute love in her eyes.

Monday night Tayler was out so I was alone with the kids. I put Layla to bed and then Mason and I went in his room to read books. Layla was crying and Mason said "I have to go check on Layla." He quietly opened her bedroom door, walked to her crib and whispered, "Hi Layla. Time to go to sleep. Love you." It was the sweetest thing.

For about a week we had a problem where Mason would play too rough with Layla. After a couple of time outs and long talks about how we play with babies, his playtime roughness has significantly changed. Last night he was playing with one of his toys and Layla kept trying to grab it. Instead of freaking out, he just rolled a ball over to her and said, "Here Layla, play with your ball."

Layla probably doesn't get as much of my attention as Mason did at this age. I guess it's just that the one who talks and has an opinion gets his way more often. And this time I went back full time instead of 30 hours a week like I did with Mason. But I hope that the time she lacks with me alone is made up by the fact that she has a brother to play with right across the hall. I haven't gotten into a reading rhythm with Layla yet like I had with Mason by this time. That's probably one of my biggest goals for the next six months because I cherish that time every night.

While I knew what it was like to love a baby by the time Layla was born, I didn't think it would be like this at all. I thought my love for both of them would be exactly the same. But how can it be? They are already two totally different people with two very individual personalities. I am excited to see how Layla's personality blossoms and how my love will inevitably grow even stronger for both kids.