Oh my golly, Graham Thomas Underwood.
6 months?! Really? Truly??
This past half a year has been more then I could have ever dreamed...
Graham you were a mover! You did not like to stop moving.
You loved to be bounced and swung back and forth in your car seat.
Grandma would trot you around in circles around the house to keep you happy.
You loved the stairs from your first week of life! You would be crying and then we would walk the stairs and you would freeze, throw your head back, and stare up at the ceiling.
You hated being changed, dressed, and bathed.
Oh how things have changed.
Your eyes were wide and alert. You loved your hands and put them in the cutest positions. You tried to suck on them but couldn't quite figure out how to get the whole hand in there.
You stared to far off places and we had to really distract you to look at us.
By one month you were eating and sleeping really well! You would take long naps in the morning and sleep with only one or sometimes two wake up times in the night.
You were really strong! You lifted your head right when they placed you on my chest after birth! You would push off of our laps with your strong legs and try to climb up our chests!
We saw your first smile/smirk at one week in your sleep. You smiled at random times but not really in reaction to us...You entertained yourself we guessed.
You were a great traveler and had been to a Dodger game and Disneyland at two weeks old!
By four weeks you had already been to Avila Beach and Hume Lake!
By two months we had really started to figure eachother out!
You loved your clock. (Still do) It was hilarious. You would stare and smile at it while you were being changed on your changing table.
You started having quality awake and play time.
For about an hour or so after being fed you were so interactive.
We would sit you on our laps against our knees and have fun just staring at you!
Whoa! Three months was a whole new GTU!
Your personality just blossomed.
You were becoming a little boy with intentional movements.
You would reach out and swing at your toys. We would attach your toys to the coffee table so you could lay underneath and play. (We're so inventive and frugal that way...)
This is when you first started LOVING your giraffe.
You cuddle "Gaf" so close to your face to fall asleep. Most of the time when we would come to look at you while you were asleep, you would have Gaf draped across your whole face.
At 2 1/2 months you started sleeping through the night!!! This was a BIG deal. Especially because Mom started going back to work and needed those hours of beauty sleep. What a guy.
We heard your first giggles!
What an unbelievably precious sound.
Most of the time it was a laugh that gurgled but every once in a while it was an adorable giggle outburst.
Some new things you like now:
Being changed, playing airplane on our feet, and bath time!!
(We put a towel under you in the sink
and skipped on the wash cloth and wa-la! No tears...)
Oh four month boy...Look at that sweet face.
You started grabbing for toys and stuffed animals!
You began putting everything directly into your little mouth.
You would grab our arms, fingers, hair, shirts, scarves, blankets, Elmo, toys, anything in sight and gnaw, gnaw, gnaw.
Looking back now you got your two bottom teeth in the middle of month four so all that gnawing was serving a great purpose. Those were your only signs of teething! No fever or too much complaining... What a brave guy.
You started grabbing your B and playing with it. You tried to put it back in your mouth and sometimes you lucked out and felt so successful. You sat up in your bumbo and enjoyed standing in Grandma's jumper! You loved to be up and around just like when you were first born.
You were such a talker at four months! Our house was filled with cooing and ahhhing. You started having much better tummy time and could totally go up on your arms and take a look around.
You could swing your leg to the side of your body to grab blankets or Gaf but it was all a tease.
You had no desire to turn over quite yet.
You were an amazing sleeper! You slept until 6:30 or 7 and a lot of times I had to wake you to go to Grandma's before work. You woke up SO happy in your crib. I loved seeing those smiles and hearing your talking first thing in the morning.
Dad held you upside down for the first time...It was a big milestone for both of you.
You loved to stare at the fire and you loved to be put down to kick and play on your back!
Are you kidding me with this adorable face spilling with joy?!
Smiling really is your specialty.
When five months rolled around we had discovered your first two teeth! Truth be told, Grandma found them.
We were shocked. You're growing up SO FAST.
You LOVED bath time at five months.
You kicked and kicked and kicked.
You loved to snuggle when you were feeling tired and you went to sleep on your own like an amazing little boy.
Most of the time you loved to go to bed.
You would grab Gaf by the neck with your arm and snuggle your face deep into his fur.
We sing one more song and you smile and try to sing along.
(I'm almost positive that is what's going on)
It is one of the most precious things I've ever seen.
Mornings were your best times of the day. So chatty and smiley!
You loved to be sang too.
Anytime we sang, a huge grin spreads across your little face.
Your eyes lit up and your entire face smiled.
Such a sweet, joyful little boy.
And then a half a year flew by...sigh. Unreal.
Look at you, Graham. You are absolutely perfect. What a beautiful gift and blessing you are.
At the 6 month mark you had just started eating rice cereal! You weren't so sure at first but now you scarf it down and are always ready with an open mouth! You love to eat and the saddest part of your whole day is when eating time is over. But even those sorrowful cries are short lived.
You overflow with smiles and happiness.
Your dad said once to me,
"What if Grahammy's whole purpose in life
is to bring people joy?"
I'll never forget it. So far, you haven't let anyone down.
You smile at everybody. If you are not smiling all we have to do is sing a simple song and you light up.
You smile when you go to sleep, you smile when you wake up.
You grin in the bathtub and you grin in your car seat.
You smirk at your clock, toys, books, sneezes, and coughs!
Everyone seems floored that you are so happy all the time.
Even when you are dead tired you are a gem.
Speaking of coughs. Have we mentioned your fake cough?
Oh my goodness. You are quite a character, you know that?
You have had this fake cough for a few months now. It started when you wanted to laugh and now you use it to get peoples attention, make them laugh, or when you want to use your voice. It's hilarious. I've never seen anything like it.
You sit up like a pro now. Sure you topple over every now and then...but it usually is followed by a smile. You found your feet and you love them. They are a constant companion.
Probably tied with Gaf for favorite things.
You love to suck on those toes.
You light up our days.
I cannot adequately express the abounding love and thankfulness
I have for you Graham Thomas.
We've tried. There's just nothing like it.
The Lord gave us an amazing gift in you.
We thank him over and over and surrender these days and upcoming stages to Him.
I should probably not let this get away from me again like the past six months. Oh well. No promises.
Hey, I made it before 7 months! By two days. Who's counting?
