Six months

Happy half-year birthday, little girl!

You are poised on the edge of great accomplishment -- or in other words, you don't do anything yet. You've lost all interest in rolling over, you hate tummy time, you don't sit by yourself, you don't crawl or scoot, you no longer sleep through the night, you haven't produced any teeth, you aren't eating solid foods, you sleep swaddled in your parents' bedroom, and you don't babble.

But you can hold that wooden ring like a champ!

I'm kidding. Laurel does lots of stuff besides chew on that toy.

Laurel is a serious-minded observer of the world. She enjoys tickling and silly games, but only lets loose with big laughs a few times a day, usually on the changing table. It takes a moment or two to coax a smile out of her -- but if she really likes you, she will make eye contact and try to coax a smile out of you! She does this to Isaac, whom she watches in wonder. She is so interested in Isaac that she will stop nursing whenever she hears him, even if he is in another room. (This level of distractibility is not convenient.) It has recently developed that she can be scared of new people if her parents aren't close by. She hates to be carried in a sling facing me, and although she tolerates it if she can face outward, she prefers to have her arms free. Luckily she doesn't mind viewing the scene from a stroller or bouncy seat, and is fairly content when left alone. She really loves to be outside. She likes songs and nursery rhymes. She enjoys being read to, and studies the pictures on the pages with great intensity, although she is puzzled when she can't grab ahold of them (and is frustrated when I don't allow her to put the books in her mouth).

And she really, really likes to chew on that toy.