Dear Amelia

Dear Amelia,

I know that it has been a long time since I wrote you last, but we have just been so busy lately! About a week before your six month birthday, you started doing this cute little military crawl (I put a video up on here to document that achievement!). Since then, it has been crazy how much you have developed.

On February 15, you successfully rolled from your stomach to your belly and back. I discovered this great development because you rolled off the couch at Oma and Opa's house as we were getting ready to watch Daddy march at the Rosenmontag parade in Dusseldorf. That was a surprise...and I just turned my back for a second. :)

Roughly the first week in March, you started doing this military crawl...now, you have pretty much perfected it...especially if there is a Charlie toy that you really want to get your mouth on. You love Charlie's toys. It is almost like you have zero toys, but I think you like Charlie's toys since they have a certain...hmmm...taste. Namely, Charlie slobber. But hey, what's a girl to do?

Around the time that you started doing your military crawl, we started with solid foods...well, pureed solid foods. Your favorite has always been veggies. You haven't been to much of a fan of fruit, but mommy makes you eat fruit once a day, even if it is just a little. Your absolute favs are veggie risotto, butternut squash with apples, and one of your new favs is butternut squash with carrot and broccoli. Yum! Sweet potatoes aren't half bad either. :)

Around your six month birthday, probably a week there after, you got up on all fours. You didn't really know what to do with yourself once you were up there...the coordination wasn't quite there yet. You would then plop down on your tummy and go into your military crawl. It was pretty cute.

Around 6 and a half months, you took your first crawling steps...true, it only lasted for about two or so crawls, then you plopped on your belly and did your military crawl. Now, a day before your 7 month birthday, you are taking more crawling steps, but then after a while, you get frustrated and start up your military crawl again...especially if you think you need to go fast.

On April 11, the day of your baptism, you started sitting by yourself. It was only for a minute or so, and if you started to topple over, your reaction wasn't quite fast enough to catch yourself and you'd fall over. However, that all changed about 4 days later when you started correcting yourself and could sit for longer periods of time. It is so cute. She scoots around and then sits and looks up at you with such a smile...I'll get a pic eventually...I just need to get the camera close by when she is doing it. :)

For your seven month birthday, we are headed to the zoo in Nuremberg. I am pretty sure that you will love it. You usually like it when you are crying and Charlie comes over, gives you a giant lick on your face, then everything is ok. You start smiling and your little arms and legs are going because you are just so excited that Charlie is there. Now we really have to move to Hirschau so that on those days that Charlie is with Oma and you are in a super bad mood, I just give her a call and she can bring Charlie over. ;)

You are just the sweetest thing. I can't get over what a precious little gem you are. You bring so much joy to our lives that I just simply can't imagine my life without you. Mommy and Daddy really lucked out. :) You are a good sleeper, a good eater, a good smiler...basically just a fun loving baby all around. Of course, there are those times when you just refuse to go to sleep and prefer to cry the whole time, but no worries. Mommy puts you in the ErgoBaby, gets out the vacuum and vacuums the apartment, and usually by the time I am done, you are fast asleep (like right now, since I just had to do this).

We were at the doctor's on Thursday (April 15) and you are perfect in every way. The doctor even thinks you are going to be walking around 10 months! This will give mommy lots of running around time so who needs a gym! You are 6790 grams, 69 cm. long and your head is 42 cm around. Not bad little girl! You are pretty little compared to your buddy Jonathan, but hey, he's a boy. :)

You really like other babies too. Jonathan is one of your favs and so is Elizabeth...and Clair...and the two Forster boys...really, you like everyone, especially if they are little...or older men (which is a bit scary). You are such a little flirt! Daddy and I will really have to look out when you get older! :)

I can't wait to see what the coming months bring us. Maybe some teeth since you still have a whopping zero (and no, I am not complaining...my nipples really like this (sorry dad if you are reading this). ). The doctor says that it is ok too since they will last longer. They will come when they come....I am not worried.

I love you to bits and pieces my little baby girl,
~Mommy