Happy Half Birthday, dear Olive!

You are such a joy, Olive. Watching you grow every day is such a special gift that I never appreciated before you came along.

As I write this letter we are riding on a big Ferry as we cross over to Newfoundland on our first family adventure! Three days ago we said goodbye to Granny and Grandma and headed east making stops in Quebec City, Edmundston, Fredericton, Halifax, and Sydney before driving on to our boat. It has been a busy, but incredibly fun few days. You have been an amazing traveler. You sleep when we are in Daddy’s big truck, and are wide awake when we adventure around the different cities. You enjoyed seeing the Chateau Frontenac in Quebec City, Theodore the Tugboat in Halifax and the big ferries in North Sydney! Mommy has been able to introduce you to all of your awesome “uncles” (Mommy’s schools friends) and her best friend Amy. They are all in love with you. I wish we lived closer. They all mean so much to me! Hopefully we will see them lots as you grow.

You are definitely a Daddy’s girl. Your smile is so big when Daddy walks in the door, and playtime with him is so much more fun than it is with Mommy – Daddy is a little bit more adventurous than I am! You still love to hang upside down and you now like to go “skydiving” (Daddy holds you high in the air and blows in your face)!

As I watch you grow, I have noticed how the use of your senses have changed. For the first few months of your beautiful life your most used senses were seeing and hearing, but now you are trying to touch everything you can… And if you can grab it, next comes taste. Everything you handle goes straight to your mouth. You have even started licking things like an ice cream cone (Daddy must have taught you that)! You seem to be interested in all the tags on your toys, rather than the actual toy. If you were getting a little fussy in the truck, all I had to do was show you the tag on Clifford’s bum and you were happy as a clam! You are incredibly curious and are easily distracted by any noise or bright light. I love watching you experience every new thing. It is such a joy.

I am still solely nursing you, and clearly you are getting pure cream! You have officially doubled your birth weight, weighing in at 16lbs. 8oz., and you are 26 inches long. You are definitely interested in “real” food, so I think we will return home the magic bullet will be getting used a lot more frequently!

August 25 was a very special day. We were surrounded by family as you were baptized at St. Columbanus, wearing the same dress Mommy wore 28 years ago. Father Di Rocco preformed the ceremony and Great Great Aunt Julia said a lovely grace before our delicious meal in the hall. Auntie Hilary and Uncle Kenney were so happy to be named your Godparents. They love you so much and Mommy and Daddy know they will do a fantastic job. We had an Italian Soda Bar and cake and cupcakes following the big lunch spread put on by Granny, Grandma, and your Great Aunts. It was an absolutely wonderful day. We were so proud of you! You thought the holy water was so refreshing and everyone had a good laugh because Father really messed up your hair (I don’t think many babies have hair when they are baptized)! We should have given him a lesson on wetting your hair properly!!

In one week you learned to roll over both ways, you figured out how to stay sitting on your own (although you are still a little wobbly), and you started to grow two teeth! Mommy’s life just got a lot more interesting! You are now never in the same place I left you, but you still surprise yourself each time! The look on your face is priceless. Your teeth have not been bothering you at all. You just carry on with your normal adventurous life as if nothing was popping through your gums. You really are a dream baby, Olive!

The sound of your laughing is the most beautiful thing I have ever heard. We still have to work to get those giggles, but when they come I cannot get enough. One night I was downstairs doing the dishes and I heard the loudest giggles while Daddy was giving you a bath. I had to stop what I was doing and go to the bottom of the stairs to listen. To this day, Daddy will still not tell me what you were laughing about. For some reason you think the word “OUCH” is the most funny word in the english language. You were pinching me one night before bed, I yelled OUCH!, and you let out the most evil laugh I have ever heard! It was priceless, Olive! Please keep this up. Your giggles brighten my day.

Mommy and Daddy went on their first date night this month. We called in the backup – Granny. She had been waiting for that day since the day you were born. She was in seventh heaven as soon as we walked out the door and she had you all to herself. You went for along walk, she gave you horsey rides on her legs, and I’m sure you have plenty of cuddles. Your Granny is absolutely crazy about you. She is missing you like crazy now that we are on our trip. I’m sure you are going to get squeezed so tight when we get home!

You officially had your first hair cut! You could have had it a few months ago, but I couldn’t bring myself to actually get it done. We took you to Great Aunt Suzette’s for the official cut. You were sound asleep the entire time and had no idea it was actually done. You can now see a lot better! Great Aunt Suzette was tickled pink that she had the honour of doing the first (of many) cuts.

Your favourite things to do this month:

• Talking non-stop. We both heard you say Da-Da… but I’m convinced it was just a coincidence!
• Rolling
• Sitting up
• Going to the movies (We saw “Jobs” this month)
• Playing with (and pulling) my hair
• Car rides
• Listening to Daddy read you books.
• You love playing with Auntie Hilary’s iPad – she even downloaded some baby apps for you!
• You survived your first overnight power outage
• Sleeping on the beach at the Sandbanks

You are making Mommy and Daddy so proud of you the last few days. You are so easy going when it comes to travel. Many people we have ran into are shocked that we would even think about doing a trip like this with a 6 month old. You are a dream come true! Keep being amazing my baby girl!

xoxoxo
Momma