6 months with Lane Eliette.

My little Lou (it's just about your only name around here),

You're well into your seventh month by the time I post this, but I still want to celebrate 6-month-old you. On your six month birthday, you decided it was the right time to start crawling. So you did. You'd been pushing up and rocking for weeks, but finally put one chubby hand in front of the other and crawled across Liam's carpet to a lamp cord (of course). And I smiled with tears in the corners of my eyes because a) I was so crazy proud of you and b) you spent so little time being a baby. 

You're the most joyful little girl I've ever met. You wake up in the morning and light up every room with your gorgeous smile and, lots of times, you're smiling even when no one's looking your way. After your first few horribly difficult months, this new Lanie is so surprising and delightful. And now, it's the only way I know you to be.

Some days, I want to tell you to slow down. To let me rock you. To sit still for just three seconds. But that wouldn't be true to who you are. I can already tell you're eager to explore the world around you. To create and learn and experience and be right in the middle of it all. What a privilege to get a front row seat to such a courageous spirit bundled up in one beautiful little girl.

I love you deeply,

Your mom