The Hals Family World Adventures: Lily @ 6 months!

Lily @ Six Months!

It seems like this was the lost month in my notes somehow, which is fairly unsurprising. I remember that the transition from 5 to 6 months was very difficult with Hannah, really from 5 to 7 months and that of the "first year" that was my least favorite phase. Part of me had always thought it was because it was at that exact time that we had decided to move from Jessup to Silver Spring and we were consumed with trying to find a place, boxing everything up and moving all while trying to give Hannah the attention I so desperately wanted to give her and while trying to adjust at a new job. It was a lot and I always chalked up the 5-7 month range blur/depression with all of that. But, even though Lily is an easier baby, and we've had a fairly "stable" life through these months, I have found the 5-7 month range to be most challenging with her as well. It's a tough time - Lily wants to be mobile and independent, but isn't quite yet. She can't fully express herself. Teeth to start ripping through her poor sweet gums. Between growing like a weed and her new found sitting up and military crawling skills she is RAVENOUS and unsatisfied and we are transitioning to adding in solids. From 5-7 months is a really big shift in baby-land and during those two months, my sweet, non-mobile, snuggly baby, wants to be everywhere, into everything, and wants to explore the world around her...all while realizing that we are separate people, so mommy had better stay super close by while she explores...or continually hold her while she squirms and checks things out (which for mommy, is exhausting and limiting and helps me further develop my abilities to do nearly everything with one hand, while keeping the octopus a safe distance away from anything hazardous or messy).

At pretty much exactly five months, Lily gained her two, adorable, bottom teeth and started sitting up. At six months she started military crawling and we started solids just before the six month mark after we reached a week when she was just hungry allllll.the.time and I just didn't have enough milk to meet her needs. With both girls, 1-2 weeks before they start really crawling they go through a major growth spurt, it's pretty cool.

Not only are my 5-7 month old babies difficult in that they are grappling with early separation anxiety issues and restless for full mobility and nom nom nom hungry, but this is usually the saddest moment for me during the "first year." There's something very sad about my babies suddenly transitioning (it's like overnight) from being dependent on me for entertainment and interaction as they love to lay in my lap and play with me to suddenly becoming obsessed with reaching for everything else, exploring everything else, etc. The early baby phase fades away so suddenly, and both times around, it leaves me feeling extra sad for a month or so.

Oh my goodness, we love these girls!!!

But, this month was also marked with fun activities as well! We visited local farms, assembled a really cool playground for the girls in the basement, and also took our first vacation as a family of four and enjoyed a weekend hanging out around the Shenandoah valley. Our vacation was fairly spontaneous and impromptu, but it was just SO nice to get away and not worry about the dishes or cooking for few days, it meant that we could spend the time we usually spend maintaining our home/doing laundry having fun and exploring. And, since we had no other option, forced us to brave some restaurants with the girls and get out a bit. And one additionally funny thing - we crammed EVERYONE - two adults, two dogs, and two children with their massive carseats, a double stroller, and luggage all into our little Honda Civic. We looked like a clown car, but it worked!

Six Hals in a 2001 Honda Civic

Heading into the caverns - we chose to visit one that could handle the stroller

They did great! Hannah loved 95% of it and seemed to really like it until the last 10-15 minutes. We escaped without any major meltdowns! Lily quietly watched, wide eyed the whole time.