Dear Noah - Week 24

Dear Noah,

Hello my joy, my heart, my world...the one who renders me completely exhausted at the end of each day.

This week you're 6 months old, half a year...

Your dad and I spent one evening this week looking at all the old videos we've taken of you over the last 24 weeks.

The first was when you were three days old, your movements sluggish, but your eyes so alert, looking around the hospital room and hiccuping out of control.

That's what everyone has said since the day you were born, "He's so alert, he's so aware of what's going on around him."

I like to think it was the horrid omega 3 fish oil I was ingesting (and burping up) while you were inside me that made you so smart, so alert.

You're an old soul my little one, someone that I've met before, loved before in a long-ago time and place. Those wide, slate-grey-blue-brown eyes know me, follow me around a room, brighten at the sound of my voice. It breaks my heart a little to know you will never love me again like you do now.

You struggle to talk, tell me what you need, what you want, what you're thinking and feeling. I can tell that once you do start speaking, you talk everyone's ear off.

This month you've started eating baby food that I've made. Yams, butternut squash, red delicious apples, peas (peas, peas, peas!!), oatmeal and rice cereals have been your staples. It's been entertaining feeding you; watch your lips purse, your brow furrow and your nose scrunch at the new textures and tastes.

You stand now with help. Those chubby, strong little legs that I love to nibble, hold you high and sturdy. I think you're going to skip crawling and go straight to walking, running and running and running.

I think you should know the various nicknames your dad and I have come up with for you, since by the time you read this, you likely won't have them anymore.

When I was pregnant with you, you were Peanut and Pumpkin. When you were first born, you had the cutest cry, hence, Squeaky Mouse. Now, you've graduated to a wide variety of mostly irrelevant nicknames that include: Bubba, Bubba Lou, Hambone Head, Little Turd (that's when you're playing in bed instead of sleeping), Mr. Fuzzy Head, Sweetie, Peanut Butter, Peanut Butter Jelly Pie and Buddy.

In the coming months I know the changes in you will be dramatic, dazzling and mind-blowing...like, how can you get your toes in your mouth? But can you do mommy and daddy a favour, please stop growing up so fast. Just stay our little baby a while longer.

Love,

Mommy

xo

PS. Can you also sleep in...a bit later than 5 a.m.?