Six Months!

Malcolm and Lucinda are six months old! We cannot believe how fast this year is going!

At six months, Malcolm Walter...

   
• weighs 18 lbs 0.4 oz (61st percentile)
• is 26 1/4 inches tall (44th percentile)
• has a head circumference of 17 1/4 inches (52nd percentile)

• just moved into size 6-9 month clothes, and wears size 3 diapers.

• goes to bed at 7, and sleeps through the night about half the time. If we haven't started his bedtime routine by 6:45 or so, he really lets us know it's time to get moving. The boy is not a night owl. He sleeps on his stomach, and he snores.
• eats 35 oz of breastmilk and formula each day, plus two solid meals.

• loves every food he's tried. His enthusiasm at meal time cracks us up every day.
• can sit on his own, but only for short periods, although he seems to prefer to stand.  He's trying to figure out crawling, but isn't getting the mechanics yet. 
• is grabbing everything, and especially likes to take our glasses off and grab at our faces.

• has started sticking out his tongue whenever he gets excited or when he smiles.  He smiles a lot.  He loves to be tickled and kissed, and especially likes when Daddy plays "the elevator game" - he lifts him way up high saying "Malcolm goes up", then lowers him down quickly while saying "Malcolm goes down," then smothers him in kises.  It never fails to elicit at least a giggle, if not full blown laughter.  (Lucinda loves the elevator game too).
• is sweet and cuddly and generally a pretty jolly young fellow.  He has a big grin for everyone he meets, and is almost always in a good mood.

At six months, Lucinda Jean...

• weighs 13 lbs. 7 oz (7th percentile)
• is 24 1/2 inches tall (11th percentile)  
• has a head circumference of 16 inches (7th percentile)

• recently (finally!) moved into size 3-6 month clothes, and wears size 1-2 or 2 diapers.  She's still an itty bitty skinny little girl.
• goes to bed between 7 and 7:30 and still wakes up once overnight to eat.  She sleeps on her side, and likes to have her glowing seahorse on to soothe her to sleep.

• eats 30 oz of breastmilk and formula each day, plus two solid meals.
• is skeptical of new foods, but comes around to most after a couple tries. She especially likes fruits and orange vegetables (sweet potatoes, squash, and carrots).

• can sit on her own for a few seconds, but she tends to launch herself forward and ends up on her tummy.  I think it's because she's so tiny - she needs more weight in her butt to hold her down!
• has become very aggressive in her play, but in a really funny way, especially since she's so small.  We've taken to calling her "She Hulk".  She likes to roll over and tackle her seahorse in her crib, and flings her toys around so hard we're worried she's going to hurt herself (or Malcolm).  But she loves it and laughs and squeals in delight.

• is trying to crawl, and gets frustrated when she can't reach something.  She's trying to figure out how to get her knees up under her, but so far has only succeeded in sticking her butt up in the air.
• is silly and willful and has an amazing belly laugh.  She's always on the go, and it seems like her head is on a swivel.  She's taking it all in and having a blast. 

We can't believe half of their first year is already behind us.  It feels like they were just born, and also like they've been a part of our family forever. We love them so much and feel so lucky to be their parents. Happy half birthday Malcolm and Lucinda!