Half of a year! Happy half-birthday, Bowie! It doesn’t feel like it’s been six months, but here we are, settled into a daily rhythm with a strong and effervescent little girl. She has found new ways to communicate without crying, which feels amazing as a parent to realize it’s been days since your baby cried. (Not today, though. Today her first tooth has pierced its way through her gums, which seems painful enough that I may have cried for her.) Her needs are met, she is growing fast, she laughs hard every day (even today), and smiles at people. She’s a full-fledged little person. Some highlights:

• Food! We figured we’d take our time introducing solids, but Bowie was eager and curious! Finally, after a night of trying to keep her hands off of our plates of Indian takeout, we decided we’d give it a shot. So far, she’s tried avocados, bananas, peas, carrots, and oranges. She remains skeptical of the avocados, but she seems to love everything else (even if it feels weird in her mouth)!
• Rolling onto her tummy is no longer a weird, rare occurrence but a thing she just does all the time when you put her down… and sometimes in her sleep… which causes her to wake up both confused and frustrated until you remind her how to turn back over.
• Our baby is a jumping bean and dancin’ machine! If Bowie is excited, she jumps up and down. If you play a song she likes, she jumps up and down. If she’s meeting a new friend, she jumps up and down. Basically, if she is standing, she might as well be jumping.
• Grandpa Bill and Grandma Judy came for a visit. Bowie had fun reading stories and snuggling with them, plus she got to go on her first carousel ride!

Anyway, now we’ve got six months left for party-planning!