Six Months

Several of you commented on Teyla's picture on this post. "Is that really the baby?" "She's all grown up!"

Sigh.

Yes. 'Tis true. Teyla is growing up -- and at lightening speed, it seems. She just passed the six-month mark, and in many ways, she seems older.

So, since no one can resist pictures of a cute baby -- especially on a Sunday night or Monday morning, when most of us are looking for an excuse to linger over the computer -- I give you the pictorial celebration, "Teyla: Six Months."

(Sorry. My wicked titling skills are a little rusty. At one point, I was able to write headlines like "Head Deadhead Dead" when Jerry Gracia died. My proudest editorial moment. Oh how the mighty have fallen.)

Teyla remains a sweet, happy baby. But as her unique personality emerges, we're learning she's also a go-getter. For example, a few weeks ago, I heard a weird sound over the baby monitor around sunrise. It sounded like static. Or maybe a quiet waterfall. I went to investigate and found this:

Teyla was chewing on the antennae.

The baby monitor is out of the crib now.

Besides, it's largely superfluous at this point. Connor and Natalie sleep in the room right next to Teyla. They almost always hear her wake up before I do, and they race into her room to witness those first morning smiles.

She's mastered the art of sitting unassisted, which has opened new doors for her. For example, she can now ride shotgun in the stroller.

Continuing the family tradition of using the stroller tray as a chew toy. Do they flavor those things or what?

She's also able to sit in restaurant highchairs now.

That came in particularly handy at camp.

Of course, the fact that she's joined us at the dinner table means she's more pitiful than a puppy begging for table scraps. "Please, sir. Can I have some more?" At camp, we kept her busy by giving her orange wedges (which she loved).

However, those juicy oranges weren't her first taste of people food. In mid-June, we went to a parade in a neighboring city. It was such a perfect night.

The parade participants kept trying to give Teyla candy and other paraphernalia; such is the vortex of her cuteness. Which is how we ended up like this.

"Take a picture, honey! It's her first solid!"

In my defense: She's our third. We're tired. I figure by the time she's 16, we'll just hand her the keys to the car and say, "Have a good weekend in Mexico, honey. Remember not to drink the water or eat too many street tacos."

I kid, I kid. You can never eat too many street tacos.

Anyway. She gripped that frozen confection like it was pure sugar. Which it was. I ended the night covered in a sticky, banana film.

So, of course, at camp we had to up the ante.

Ice cream. Yeah, baby.

Wow. I'm getting off track. And hungry. Where was I?

Oh yes! The really big news this month is that Teyla is mobile. She's starting to crawl; in fact, she's already perfected the army crawl. (Which, honestly, just cracks me up. It's like being treated to an infant version of "Saving Private Ryan" each night as I make dinner.) She can spin 360-degrees on her tummy. And I'm already having to rescue her from corners and table legs and other obstacles that have the audacity to get in her way.

(No moving pictures for this one, but you can see she's up on her knees, right? It'll have to do for now.)

Other big news: Her first tooth broke through on July 4. ("Freeeeedooooom!") And its twin made its debut today. (I think I will call them Knox and Vivienne.)

All in all, we're still in love.

Corey adores her.

Connor adores her.

Natalie adores her.

(Hey, come on. With all that hair, she's just screaming for some accoutrement from her big sister.)

And I adore her. How could I not?

Teyla, you are sunshine in our world. I can't wait to see what God has in store for you.

I just hope His plan doesn't include walking at eight months.

Right Lord?