6 Months

I thought it would be fun to make a list of the things B now knows how to do at 6 months. I still can't believe how there was a point in time when he couldn't do any of these things!

1. smile
2. giggle
3. pull my hair
4. reach for things
5. grasp objects
6. shake a rattle
7. activate toys by pushing buttons on toys
8. pull a string making his toys move
9. spin objects
10. feed himself a bottle
11. touch his toes
12. put his toes in his mouth
13. feed every 4 hours
14. splash in the bath
15. tummy time
16. push his chest completely off the floor
17. play peekaboo
18. hold a book
19. eat solids
20. sleep through the night
21. roll from his tummy onto his back
22. roll from his back onto his tummy
23. sit up unassisted
24. sit in a high-chair
25. stand for a few seconds while arms are holding onto something
26. squirm/wannabe half crawl

Just like many other first time moms, I was constantly worrying that B wasn't doing something and now in hindsight, many things have become second nature for him. All of those baby books list things that baby should be doing by a certain age, etc. In small print, it always says, "EVERY BABY IS DIFFERENT." Yaddi-yah. When B wasn't able to stay on his tummy for more than a few seconds at a time, I remember thinking that there might be something wrong with him. I worried about this, this, and that.

The best advice that my colleague gave me was to throw out all of the baby books I had. When she initially told me that, I have to admit...I thought to myself, "She's crazy!", but after finally taking her advice I can honestly say that I've calmed down so much. The only time I really think about these benchmarks is when B has his well-visits with the pediatrician. She's the one who can tell me whether or not he's developing appropriately or if he's lagging. I trust my pediatrician and I'll leave that to her.