6 Months Old! Photoshoot!

I am six months old today... a whole half a year! Momma and Daddy can't believe it.  I am turning into such an adorable little man.... working on big boy things like sitting up, drooling all over the place thanks to those teeth still below the surface, and starting solid foods.  I am still such a happy-go-lucky guy who is highly social -- I love each new person I meet and reward their interactions with me with big smiles if they stop to baby-talk to me. I have recently discovered that I have a good amount of strength and like to use someone's hands/help to pull myself up from laying down to a sitting position.  I am just thrilled with myself when I get up and I can stay that way for about a minute before toppling over.  I also like flailing my arms around when I get excited, so watch out if you're in my way!  Oh, and gouging people's eyes out is a side-effect of my new hobby of exploring people's faces with my hands. My hands are quite the amazing thing, I've discovered... they also like to pull my pacifier out when it's in my mouth and then proceed to play with it - even when I'm asleep.  I love any Jumparoo/Exersaucer that I'm placed in and get quite busy exploring all the toys.  I much prefer these activities to laying down on an activity center or blanket nowadays.  Oh, and I'd be remiss if I did not mention my real favorite hobby - putting anything and everything in my mouth... blankets, toys, other people's hands, Momma's knee or chin.... anything (except solid foods) is fair game. :)  I still want milk about every couple hours and I like to nap every couple hours during the day as well.  Sleeping for long chunks at night is sometimes cool and sometimes lame as far as I'm concerned.  I love being cuddled and love riding in the Ergo or Baby Bjorn with Mom & Dad.  And that's my life at 6 months!

Now, please enjoy these adorable photos from the photo shoot we did with the whole family to celebrate my half-year birthday at Portrait Simple in the Warwick Mall.  We were so happy with all the special shots we got! 

This one's being entered in a contest.  I'm sure I'll win it!

It's also special because there are photos of baby Momma and baby Gamma with a similar hat, so I'm following that trend.  

Still a little room to grow!

Highlighting my baby blues!

Having fun with props.... inspired by my diaper cover.  I AM a hoot!

They call me "Little E!"

How YOU doin'?

Howdy, pardner! 

Now for the whole family shots! 

Here are some of our little family! 

And some bonus ones of G&G and GG&G... taken while I paused to feed in the middle of the shoot. 

  

Six Months Old! First Solids: Avocado

Today is my 6 month birthday! I am half a year old!  WOW.  

We decided to let me try solid food for the first time today when Daddy finished work and decided to start with the super food, avocado.  Since we were in RI, we figured we'd do this with a full audience, so Uncle Jay Jay, Grandma, Grandpa, Daddy and Mommy were in attendance... as were Grandma Linda, Grandpa Bob, and Auntie Nicole thanks to FaceTiming and the multiple apple devices Mommy & Daddy own. :)  The story, however, is best told in photos:

Here I am with U. Jay Jay beforehand... happy as a clam! 

And here I am with a sad Momma.  She does not want me to do this!  (She is sad I am growing up so fast and she likes being my only food source... even though she will continue to provide me with 99% of the nutrition I need in the year to come as we are following the motto "Food Before One is Just for Fun."  But she also suspects I'm not 100% ready as I'm not showing all the signs other babies we know are of being particularly interested in food.  Cold drink cups (mostly beer and wine), plates and other utensils on the table, on the other hand, are super interesting... I AM reaching for those as of this vacation when I'm at the table.  But when it comes to food, it's the ONLY thing I don't open my mouth to explore when people let me sniff it.)

First I was let to just see if I'd feed myself. I mostly stared at it. Then I grabbed the spoon and Momma helped me check this stuff out.  These three photos show the best progression of what happened next:

Phew.  They took that stuff away.  As you can tell, I am NOT a fan of this experience.  But Daddy thought he might have the magic touch and wanted to get in on the fun.  How do you think that went? 

Ugh.  Get that stuff away from my mouth and go back to making coos and smiles at me. :)  Here I am hamming it up for my virtual onlookers, Auntie Nicole, Grandma, and Grandpa:

The whole crowd of my adoring fans. 

Sorry, dudes.  You can try again later.... but I'm pretty sure I'm not into this whole solid foods thing.  Momma's okay with that, though....

Daddy works from "home"

Daddy worked from "home"base in RI today, so Momma and I kept busy.  We went over to Great Grams & Gramps' house in the morning while they had their breakfast.  After my nap, we went out to lunch with Daddy at Panera and then to Gamma's work in Warwick so she could show me off since this her last day working.  We had fun after Daddy worked just hanging out at home. 

Beachin' It

Time for another beach day!  This time, it was just with Momma and Daddy.  After my morning nap, we headed down to Narragansett so Momma could introduce me to where she's spent half her life. :)  First, a stop for lunch at the Coast Guard House.  We enjoyed dining al fresco out on the deck.  Momma & Daddy had lobster rolls and I enjoyed some delicious milk.  

Then, it was off to the beach.  I require quite the royal set-up on the shore.  Here I am taking a nap in my own personal tent.  It's such a tough life being a beach baby. 

I practiced my sitting and Daddy practiced his writing in the sand for a cute photo shoot when I awoke and became a happy baby.  I'm getting better at sitting and it's ALL I want to do lately... even though I face plant after about a minute. :) 

Time for another taste of the ocean.  Still not a fan.... too cold!  Dang - should have been in my baby wet suit! 

It's okay... I can be a beach baby without being an ocean water baby just yet. :) 

Time for another nap in the Ergo while Momma and Daddy got a different kind of "walk on the beach" in. :)

A sign of the changing times.  Momma says she is officially one of THOSE beach-goers.... but her new present from Gamma makes it much more convenient!  As I said, I require quite the set-up at the beach. :)

After I de-sanded, it was off to "Auntie" Danielle's to see her, "Uncle" Josh and Carly Cate again.  We had fun catching up with each other and Carly and I were cute to watch interact. 

I didn't last long before I was T-I-R-E-D, so it was back home for a bottle with Gampa and a few hours of being baby-sat so Mommy & Daddy could sneak out for a little while together to get some ice cream at Newport Creamery.  

Look at the cute pic Momma snapped of me and Gamma sleeping on the monitor when they got home. :)